The hardest thing in this world is to live in it
by 13Jenny
Summary: The hardest thing in this world is to live in it,and right now Buffy dosen't think it can get much worse.But when the new big bad is a souless Angel and with the arival of a girl who looks strangely like him she relizes everthing can allways get worse.
1. A day in the life of Buffy Summers

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy…. I know big shock.

Ok just to say I have never watched Angel so this is all based on Buffy the vampire slayer, sorry if I get the characters personalities wrong this is my first buffy fic (why I chose to do such a long one I'll never know). Ok this is set after the last buffy episode….. they still won but Sunnydale didn't sink, and spike didn't die (because I needed him in this…. I do happen to know that he did come back on Angel but since I haven't watched it I don't know how, or when, and it would be rather hard to put in, anyway enough of me randomly typing and on with the, probably rubbish, fic.

…

**A day in the life of Buffy Summers **

Buffy sighed as she went through the door, once again greeted by the sleeping new slayers, they could at least _help_ her on patrol, of course half of them had no idea what the hell was going on or why they suddenly all had super strength, nor would they believe her when she told them… but still. She made her way up to her room hoping, just hoping, that there wouldn't be any more new slayers to collect for a while. Life was really getting her down at the moment, the slayers where really annoying her, she hardly ever got the chance to even talk to her friends (as they were also busy going all round the world finding all the new girls who had just been given super strength), and although she didn't show it or tell anyone she was still really, really missing heaven.

Buffy fell asleep the second she laid down. It had been a long night, she had dusted about four vampires, but slaying was getting really boring at the moment, every vampire she killed just felt like any other. She couldn't believe she was actually missing high school, at least then things had felt like everything she was doing was right, and it made sense. It had basically been: I'm good, there evil, I have the power to stop them so I will, But now so many girls had the power to stop them, and yet she was still the one spending her nights getting chucked into gravestones and getting dust on her clothes.

She woke up as the light slowly crept through the curtains, not really fully awake she got up and made her way downstairs, and like every other morning there was a rush of girls grabbing various kinds of cereals, complaining that they didn't have the right ones, spilling milk everywhere….. It made Buffy's head hurt a little. Xander came through the door Willow following close behind "hey Buffy" she said grinning "hey Will" Buffy said, still very tired and it showed in her voice. Xander who was in the process of pouring milk on cereal asked "tough night?" Buffy just nodded and started getting herself breakfast. It was just like every other morning, just like every other day.

The three of them made their way into the living room. "So slay any vampires last night" Xander asked, this was usually the subject of their conversations nowadays…. There wasn't much else to talk about. "Yeah a couple… they really need to stop bursting into dust all over me though… it's really annoying" she smiled. "Yep you should tell them that" Xander said, Willow grinned "yeah when I kill you can you please move away so you don't ruin my clothes" She added. "That's bound to go down well" Buffy said sarcastically. And then there was silence….. They couldn't find much else to talk about really. "So what are we gonna do today" Willow asked. "Ok this sounds weird, but I'm actually worried there isn't some sort of apocalypse, I mean come on, the forces of darkness must be planning _something_" Xander said, it was weird Buffy had been feeling the same way. "Yeah you're right that did sound weird….. But I agree" Willow said, Buffy smirked "ok its official we have all gone crazy" Xander smiled "what do you mean _gone _crazy_. _We fight evil demons that range from turning into giant snakes, to making us all burst into song. We have saved the world more times than humanly possible. Somehow made it through high school where our hang out was a _library_ over a hell mouth….. Oh and we call ourselves the scoobies" they all laughed "right sorry its official we are all crazy" Buffy said with a grin. "BUFFY" came a yell from upstairs "WHAT IS IT DAWN" she yelled back up. "DO YOU KNOW WHERE MY….." the rest got drowned out by the talking from the kitchen "WHAT" Buffy shouted "DO YOU KNOW WHERE MY…." This time Buffy cut her off "THIS REALY ISN'T WORKING" Dawn came downstairs "do you know where my purple top went…. I think one of the other slayers nicked it" Buffy shook her head "nope, sorry, you sure it isn't in your room?" Dawn just shrugged "oh well I'll find something different." Buffy nodded then turned back to her friends "so….." she trailed off "you want to go out some place" Xander asked "It's just it's getting kind of crowded in here" Buffy shook her head "sorry guys, I've got slayers to train"

Buffy glanced at her watch. They had been training for about an hour now "all right guys that's it for today" they all slowly went back into the house each talking about something different. Buffy sighed "just yet another day" she muttered to herself, nothing was different, nothing ever changed, everything was always exactly the same. "Hey Buff" Xander said coming outside "you feeling down?" she looked up at the sky and replied "it just feels, I just, oh I dunno, everything seems to get me down lately" he shrugged "don't worry Buff, you always feel better in the end." Buffy looked at him "I'm really hoping your right" she said and headed back to the house.

The day passed by slowly, every minute felt a little longer than the minute before, Buffy was just waiting for something to happen….. anything. She glanced around all the slayers where smiling, doing their own thing, chatting to each other, telling secretes. Buffy smiled sadly, she remembered when it had been like that, so easy, but now she was watching the clock and hoping it would speed up in time for her to go out and wish the morning would come. Of course slaying was the most fun she had at the moment. Not that slaying was ever really fun. Yay I might get eaten tonight…. Not exactly what buffy thought every time she went out the door to kill some vampires.

"Buffy do you want to go to the Bronze tonight, we haven't been in _ages" _Willow asked. Buffy hadn't even heard her enter the room, well it was kind of hard to hear anything over the chatter. "Yeah sure Will" Buffy said faking a smile and hoping her friend didn't notice. "Oh good I've already asked Xander he's coming" Buffy kept smiling "that's great, when should we go, 'bout an hour?" Willow nodded and left the room, probably to go practice magic or read some books or something like that. "Well the Bronze will be good, give me something to do, not that I need something to do…. I mean I'm talking to myself, and now I'm talking to myself _about _talking to myself. Great I'm am officially going loopy. Hey with any luck something will happen. Something often happens when we go to the bronze" she spent the rest of the time debating weather she wanted something to happen or not.

"Come on Buffy" Willow called heading out the door Xander close behind. Buffy walked downstairs and joined then outside. "So just like old times then" Xander said with a smile. Buffy grinned "yep" she replied "just like old times." Buffy had decided she wanted everything to be normal, and didn't want anything to happen at the Bronze. Of course now something _defiantly would _happen….

….

Whooo so there we go first chapter…. I'm guessing you think it's kind of bad, but you never know perhaps I'll get better, then again perhaps I'll get worse…. You never know, but it's an awesome plot (I think).


	2. New in town

Disclaimer: still don't own buffy….. or do I duh duh duh, no I really don't.

**New in town.**

The bronze was fun…. Well fun-ish. They had spent long enough there though and now where making their way out the exit and into…. Well the dark alleys and things _always_ happened in dark alleys. "So do you think we'll meet any of our creature of the night friends" Xander asked, just trying to make conversation really. "Maybe" Buffy replied "but I hope not, I'm not really in the mood" Willow frowned "you're not really being yourself lately" Buffy sighed "you noticed huh" Willow nodded "kind of hard not to, not that I exactly tried, it's all the other slayers isn't it, too crowded, you're not really able to do anything" Buffy shook her head "no no, it's not that, well it is sort of. Don't you kind of feel like were growing apart" all three of them looked down at the feet "sort of" Willow agreed "I don't want to, I mean you guys have been my best friends for years" Xander nodded "it's because we hardly see each other anymore" and then there was silence all wondering what to say next "if things were different" Willow started but Buffy cut her off "things aren't different were just gonna have to put up with how things are… and you know, have more nights like this"

They walked in silence for a while but things always happened in dark alleys and tonight wasn't any different. A loud crash came from the next ally and Buffy, Xander and Willow all rushed towards the sound. What they found wasn't exactly what they expected. A girl threw a vampire into a wall, quickly ducked under its punch as it attacked her and then shoved a stake in its heart. "Well, I'm guessing there's another slayer" Willow said. "Yep I guess that's it" Xander agreed. "It's like Faith all over again…. This is never good" Buffy said remembering the first time they had met Faith.

"So are you a slayer here to get your training?" Xander asked the girl looked up of them a smiled. Buffy frowned, this girl reminded her of a certain vampire with a soul…. And it wasn't spike. It was just small things about her, the shape of her face, the way she smiled, and her eyes, her eyes where exactly the same to Angels. "Nope" She said Willow looked confused "But you are a slayer right" the girl shook her head "wrong again, I'm just a normal girl who doesn't much like evil bloodsucking monsters" Buffy was still staring at her amazed at the resemblance between this girl and her former lover. "Well there not things easily liked" Willow said with a small smile, she glanced over at Buffy "are you all right?" she asked seeing her friends expression. Buffy snapped back "uh, yeah, fine, let's get home" she said deciding it was all just coincidence. "Um…. Guys, I kind of need a place to stay" the girl said. "Oh uh sure" Buffy said before turning away heading home. "So what did you say your name was again" Willow asked "I didn't" was the girl's simple answer "I'm Layla" she said with a small smile "and you are?" she prompted. "Oh right, I'm Willow, that's Xander, and that's Buffy" Willow said as they entered the house.

"Wow, you have a lot of people staying here" Layla said as she walked in and saw all of the slayers. "Oh yeah when it came to the final battle we needed more girls with super strength so Willow did a spell" Buffy explained "Oh yeah I heard about that" Layla said. "You did?" Xander asked confused. "Oh please, massive battle, powerful spell, girls all around the world getting super strength and all because of one slayer and her friends….. Of course I heard." She said with a shrug "things spread fast in the demon world ya know, I bet you could travel around the other side of the world and still find things who have heard. Actually I did go over the other side of the world and they have heard. Your pretty famous Buffy, lived longer than most slayers even living on a hell mouth, saved the world how many times? Of course every demon there _hates_ you but still, your more well-known than most slayers ever have been" Layla made her way into the living room "uh we really don't have much space" Willow said looking around "don't worry I'll sleep on the floor" she said with a shrug "really?" Willow asked "Believe me I've had worse" Buffy was still trying to figure this girl out and hadn't relay heard much of the conversation. "Buffy…. Buffy… BUFFY" she quickly snapped back to reality "what is it Dawn" she said tired "who's the new girl" Layla smirked "I'm Layla I've heard about you to, the mystical key kind of designed to end the world…. Yet world still not ended" Dawn frowned "how would you know" she said annoyed "I just know stuff, well night, really Buffy you look exhausted" Buffy looked at the girl, tried to figure her out again, failed, sighed and then said "yeah I guess….. Well good night then" before heading up to her room trying to work out what exactly just happened and who she was. She didn't get to long though as she was asleep within five minutes just like everyone else. And then the house was silent.

Well there's the next chapter, I don't exactly know when I'll be updating depends on homework, if I remember I'm writing this and if I remember what I'm actually writeing.


	3. Unexpected visitor

Disclaimer: guess what….. I still don't own buffy.

**Unexpected visitor **

Buffy woke up and yesterday's events came rushing to the front of her mind, she was going to work this girl out. 'So she shows up to Sunnydale, just happens to come across us, kills a vampire, immediately makes me think of Angel, somehow knows rather a lot about us' Buffy thought but didn't get anywhere 'she could be a vampire! Did I invite her in?' she had been so tired last night she hadn't really thought it though.

She made her way downstairs hoping Layla hadn't eaten anyone and trying to remember if he had actually invited her in or not. When she got down stairs she was met by the usual rush of slayers getting breakfast and no one seemed to have died….. Which in theory was a good sign but also meant she was no closer to figuring out who this girl was. "Hey Buffy" came a voice from behind her that she didn't recognise. She turned round and realized it was Layla "oh hey" she said. "So what you gonna be doing today" she asked looking around at all the cereal and deciding she didn't like any of them. "Oh the usual, train slayers, be bored, go on patrol, come home, sleep" she said, Layla frowned "you really have to start doing more things" Buffy shrugged "I don't relay care" she lied and went to get breakfast. When she looked back around Layla had disappeared into the living room.

"Buffy" Dawn said, Buffy hadn't even realized she was in the room. "No I don't know where your purple top is" Buffy answered. "That's not what I was going to ask… but are you sure" Buffy turned to face Dawn "what do you want" she asked. "Who is that new girl?" she asked checking Layla wasn't in the room. "She's Layla you know that" buffy said although she wanted to know the answer to that very same question. "Yeah but who _is_ she" Dawn said pouring cereal into a bowl "I don't know dawn" she said turning to head out of the kitchen "I really don't like her" Dawn said angrily "I don't think she can be trusted either" buffy frowned and left the room, there was defiantly something Layla wasn't telling her and she was going to find out what.

The day passed by slowly as usual. Layla kept out of her way, and out of the sun she noticed (not that that exactly meant anything). Soon the sun had gone down and she was getting ready for patrol "you want me to come with" Layla asked appearing at the door silently. "What, oh, um, no I'm fine" normally she would have agreed strait away and she would have, if it were anyone but Layla. "You sure, you look like you're still kind of tired" Buffy put a stake down her sleeve "nope I'm good, really" She walked strait passed Layla, downstairs and out the door. "You sure?" Layla asked to an empty room before turning around and heading downstairs.

"Why does she want to come with me? I hardly know her. Maybe it's to kill me. She could still be a vampire. But then shouldn't she have killed at least one person already… oh none of this makes sense" Buffy walked through the cemetery talking to herself trying to work out who she was exactly. She saw a figure standing in the dark. She approached in cautiously stake at the ready "Angel?" She asked as she got closer. No wait, the clothes that smirk…. "Hello lover"… Angelus. "Oh god. not again"

...

Duh Duh Duh. This chapter is kind of short….. I think. Sorry about that but I thought that would be a good place to end it.


	4. Finally quiet

Disclaimer: nope still don't own Buffy…. Well that's a surprise isn't it.

**Finally quiet**

She saw a figure standing in the dark. She approached it cautiously stake at the ready "Angel?" She asked as she got closer. No wait, the clothes that smirk…. "Hello lover"… Angelus. "Oh god. not again"

"Oh. Are you not pleased to see me" Angelus said moving closer. Buffy felt the stake slip out of her hand. She opened her mouth to try and speak but no words would come. "Wow slayer you're off your game" he said looking at the stake on the floor. "I was pretty sure you would be surrounded by all those other little girls. But no you're alone…. Always alone" Buffy at this point was trying to wake up, this was a dream, it had to be. "Hey. How's little sis" finally Buffy was able to speak "you keep the hell away from her" He smirked "But that's no fun" Buffy still couldn't believe this was happening, this couldn't be happening. "Don't you dare hurt her" she said resisting the urge she somehow still had to kiss him. "Now why would I hurt her… kill her maybe" that did it she grabbed the stake off the floor and went to punch him. He quickly ducked and kicked her in the stomach. "Now why don't I think your hearts in this" he asked as she stumbled backwards 'because my hearts with you' she thought but she didn't say it out loud she didn't even know what made her think it. But she did know something; she couldn't fight him, not yet.

She ran into the house. Oh dam it he was still invited here. "Guys" most of them were still awake "Buffy are you all right" Willow asked concerned. "It's Angel" the slayers all knew of Buffy's past, just in case something like this happened. "He's back?" Xander asked annoyed. He still hated Angel. "Yes, no, not exactly, he's Angelus." Layla immediately looked up at the name "Angelus?" her eyes glittered with excitement. Buffy looked at her frowning, "you know him?" Layla looked down "I-I know of him….. b-because…. You know, I-I know stuff" Buffy didn't have time to try to figure out why she was acting like that "Willow you need to do that spell, he's still invited here" Willow nodded still a little confused but going with it. "Uh Buffy, just asking. But you've killed him once, you can do it again" Xander said what all the slayers where thinking. "I tried. I had a stake. But…" a small smile played on her lips "just seeing him there" Willow nodded and finished her sentence "you fell right back in love with him" Buffy suddenly found the floor very interesting "I thought, if I had to kill him a second time, it would be easier, but now I know how it feels, after. I just can't do it, I can't"

"Right so here's what we're going to have to do" Buffy began but one of the slayers cut her off "what _we're_ gonna do. No, no way, I've heard about this guy. Plus he's here for you, this is your fight" All the other slayers nodded. Buffy grew suddenly very angry "oh yeah what about every single other vampire out there. Are they all my fight as well?" all the other slayers looked at her confused "Oh don't look at me like that. How many vampires have you actually slayed? Put all your totals together and it comes to a number equivalent to zero" The slayer who had spoken before stood up. "What you expect us to go out there every night to kill vampires. None of us asked for this" Buffy looked at her in disbelief "Oh and I did?" another slayer stood up "I'm only sixteen" she said. "You know when I was sixteen. I _died. _Because it was written down in some stupid prophecy. I've _died _twice doing this job, because it's my job. And none of you even want to leave this house because you think it's too scary out there in the world. Now you know evil exists" The slayer shook her head "fine then I'll leave this house, but I'm no way coming back" Buffy shrugged "why would I want you to?" the slayer sighed in frustration, opened the door and left. "The rest of you can go as well you know" Buffy said annoyed. They all got up and left. Buffy was left standing there a little confused on what the hell just happened. "Wow it's all so quiet" she said. "Buffy are you sure that was such a good idea?" Xander asked. She smiled "yes I think that was a brilliant idea, now I'm going to go to bed"

Layla watched her go, glad she had forgotten about the way she had reacted when she head heard Angelus's name. "Well me to, I'm tired" She said "and hey I can sleep on a sofa now…. Are you guys going to leave or not" Willow and Xander stood there staring at her "Who are you?" Willow asked. Layla glared at her "I'm none of your business, so you better leave" They both stood there not moving "don't talk to us like that" Xander said. "Or you'll do what? If I were you I would go before you get me mad" They both started to leave the room "I am going to find out who you are, what you're doing here, and if I don't like what I see Buffy's gonna kick your ass" Xander said before following Willow out the room. "If you find out, I won't be here long enough for her to try"

…..

Oooo Layla's getting angry.

I've been kind of having a writing frenzy today….. Except the fact I was at school for most of it.


	5. Layla's story

Disclaimer: I still don't own Buffy… but you knew that.

**Layla's story**

"Buffy I'm telling you, we can't trust Layla, you saw her last night, and she knows Angelus… not Angel, Angelus" Willow said. "The way she told us to leave. I could tell there was something she didn't want us to know" Xander agreed. "I don't know what to do guys, she's pretty good at fighting, she could help us" Buffy said but she was beginning to agree with the other two. "Or she could get us all killed" Xander added "Or she could be standing here listening to every word you say" Layla said they all looked up and saw her standing in the door way. "Why are you sneaking around" Xander asked "yep I'm defiantly sneaking around, people always announce their presence when they do that" she said sarcastically. "How do you know Angelus" Willow asked ignoring her. "I just met him once when I was traveling. I didn't know he was coming to Sunnydale I swear" Buffy stood up and crossed her arms "now why don't I believe you" she asked. "Trust issues?" Layla blurted out "look guys it's nothing really, I want him dead as much as the next person. Like I said I'm just a normal girl who doesn't much like evil bloodsucking monsters" Xander got up to "then why were you trying to get rid of us so badly last night" Layla sighed "look I just had to figure things out. It was just a shock hearing that name again" Willow stood up not wanting to be the only one sitting down. "How did he lose his soul in the first place?" Willow asked out of the blue. Buffy frowned, that thought hadn't occurred to her, had he been with another girl…. All three of them had the same thought at the same time and looked at Layla. She looked at them and her eyes winded as she realized what they were thinking "what… no, no way. I wouldn't. That, that's just…,. Ewwww" how could they even think that?

They all made their way downstairs still all keeping their distance from Layla. "So how about we all go patrolling tonight. That way you can keep an eye on me, find Angelus, and possibly kill him…. Probably not" Buffy closed her eyes for a moment "Layla just shut up for more than five seconds would you". She still needed to figure out, why he was here, how he had lost his soul, if Layla was working with him or not…. Oh and how the hell she was going to kill him, would she wait until he actually started to end the world first. Layla just shrugged and got breakfast, she could tell they didn't believe her but hey they hadn't killed her yet so everything was all good. "Right ok so I guess we could all go patrolling… but only because I don't want you to burn the house down while I'm gone" Buffy said looking at Layla who smirked "I'm not gonna burn anything down" she said then added in her head 'not that I haven't before'

They all sat doing their own things. Dawn was sitting writing in her new diary. Willow was flicking through spell books and doing random spells that caught her attention. Xander was watching Willow flick through spell books and do random spells that caught her attention. Buffy was wondering if it was such a good idea to let Layla come on patrol. And Layla was thinking that Buffy needed to stop worrying but not daring to say it out loud. The day actually passed rather quickly.

"Sun set" Layla stated looking out the window "we should probably get going" Buffy nodded "got all the stuff" they all nodded "remind me again why I'm going" Xander said "Just come on" Buffy said walking out the door Layla following close behind.

"So do you think we'll actually see him" Willow asked. "He'll come find us…. I mean I think he will but I don't know that" Layla said "I'm gonna stop talking" All three off them looked at her. "Remind me why I thought you coming with me would be a good idea" Buffy asked. Layla shrugged. "He's here" she said suddenly. "What, how would…" Xander started but Angelus cut him off "I was wondering when you'd show." Layla slipped to the back of the group out of his sight. "Layla I know your there I could catch your sent a mile off" she sighed and stepped forward. "It's been a wile" He said. "Yes I suppose it has" she replied no emotion in her voice. "Been a while since what exactly" Buffy asked, this was her shot to work out who Layla really was. "Since we travelled together… You didn't them anything?" he said turning to Layla smirking. "Well you know I'm not big on the whole them killing me thing" She said backing away from them slightly. "Well someone's gonna kill you, it's either gonna be them or me….. Pick a side Layla pick a side" Layla frowned "your loving this aren't you" she said before turning to Buffy and the others who were trying to figure out how that all worked. "Yeah maybe you should fight him already, unless you're planning to keep him talking until sunrise…. Hey maybe he won't notice" Angelus and Buffy both looked at her, and then looked back at each other. "Nah I'll think we'll fight"

They all turned their attention to the fighting at which point Layla backed out the grave yard before running for it. They probably wouldn't give her time to explain… then again if they did the chances where they would still kill her. "Buffy" Willow said "Kind of in the middle of something" she said punching him in the face. "Laylas gone" She quickly looked round, threw Angelus over the other side of the grave yard and said "let's go" before running after her.

Layla heard footsteps behind her…. That was never good. They caught up to her pretty much outside Buffy's house. "Uh hi guys, I'm going to be off now. Nice meeting you" Layla said. "Do you have something to tell us" Buffy asked "funnily enough no I really don't" Layla just wanted to leave "look really there's nothing you need to know, I'll just get the hell outta Sunnydale and you can forget I ever existed" Buffy really didn't understand this girl. "So what's happening here?" said a familiar voice from behind her "nothing you really need to know Spike" Buffy answered turning round "Layla?" Spike asked. Layla grinned "Spike!" he smiled to. "You've gone blond" Layla nodded "and you're working with the slayer" he shrugged "long story ends with me getting a soul" Buffy frowned. "Oh good for you" Layla said, they both forgot anyone else was there until Buffy asked "you two know each other?" Layla looked at her "us? um… no?" Willow smiled slightly "wonder what she does if she does know someone" Xander got out a cross "ok so let me get this straight. You know Spike, you know Angelus, and you've apparently travelled with him….. I'm gonna guess you're a vampire" he said shoving the stake in her face and expecting her to move back like every other vampire. She didn't and he hit her with the cross "bloody hell" she exclaimed. "Ok so not a vampire, but obvious you've spent _way_ too much time with Spike" Spike and Layla looked at each other "you didn't tell them anything?" Spike asked "Angelus asked the same thing. No I didn't tell them…. Anything" Spike frowned "Angelus?" Buffy realized he still didn't know "Angel lost his soul again, don't know how" She told him. "We thought it might be something to do with her" Xander said. Spike looked at him with a confused look on his face "you think she would, whoa no way, that's, Ewww" Layla smirked "that's what I said" Spike looked at Layla "you really haven't told them anything have you" she shook her head "she was just about to" Buffy said getting back on track with the whole find out who the hell she is plan. "Actually I wasn't" they all looked at her annoyed apart from Spike who asked "what me to tell them" Layla crossed her arms "yep let you tell it in a way that would most defiantly make them kill me, no thanks" She looked back at them "uh, ok, um, how to put this….. I'm Angelus's sister" The first thing they all did was look shocked, then reach for weapons, then realize that it wasn't possible. "Ok then, so, Angel is a vampire, who is over 200 years old, you apparently aren't a vampire… so what are you?" Buffy asked "human" Layla replied "right, because that works out, as you being dead" Layla sighed "I am human… ask Spike" Spike shrugged "yep she is" Buffy frowned "o-k so here's my story. Back when Angelus was human there was this warlock. He was an extremely powerful warlock, unfortunately that didn't actually mean he was any good. Most of his spells went wrong; I was there when one did. Kind of got caught in the cross fire. Luckily for me he often knew what actually went wrong and what happened as a result. Basically I became immortal, still human, but don't age, don't die…. Unless I'm killed. My immune system is pretty much like yours, Buffy, so I don't really get sick either." Buffy frowned "o-k but Angel killed his whole family" Layla nodded "apart from me" That didn't make any sense "why not?" she asked "well I could go into houses uninvited, walk in daylight, plus I was rather good at convincing people things, including him" Layla replied. "Made good bait to, not to mention the fact I'm pretty sure he got addicted to her blood at one point. Though ask him and he'll deny everything" Spike added. Layla glared at him. "I'm sure he told me he killed his sister once" Buffy said trying to remember. "Oh he did, I'm the other one. The one who used to climb out my window at night then come home with my dress ripped and covered in mud" Layla was still kind of surprised they hadn't tried to kill her yet, of course Spike might not let them. "So this spell that made you immortal, made you lose your soul to?" Xander asked. "No" Layla said frowning "so you helped kill thousands of people and you had a _soul_" Layla swallowed "I tried not to watch" She said. "Oh and that makes it ok" Layla shook her head "It was never ok" Xander stepped forward "so you seem to be alright with killing innocent people, what's saying you won't start again. We should probably make sure you don't" Layla caught on fast "you mean kill me before I kill you" Xander just kept glaring at her "you better not" Spike said sounding kind of angry "why do you care" Xander asked. Layla smiled "Spike was like my big brother, even though I am technically older than him" she said. "So keep away from her" Spike said glaring at Xander "wow you can get really protective" Spike just shrugged. "You don't really wanna find out" Buffy realized she should probably stop them before someone got killed…. Probably Xander. "Guys, just stop ok" Buffy said annoyed "does anyone find it weird that Angelus didn't come after us?" Willow asked. "Oh he did and he's here. I'm pretty sure he just likes watching me have to explain stuff. Oh and he's hoping we'll kill each other, but the suns almost up so he'll be going now" Layla answered. "Speaking of sunrise I need to get inside" Spike said walking towards Buffy's house. "So you haven't killed me, I still kind of need a place to stay" Layla said "I guess, just as long as you don't try to kill us" Buffy said wondering if it was the right thing to do. "I won't kill anyone" Layla said "promise"


	6. Catching up

Disclaimer: I do not own the awesomeness that is Buffy the vampire slayer.

**Catching up**

"And you fell in love with Buffy?" Layla and Spike had been catching up all morning finding out what had been happening in each other's lives. "Yep and then went and got myself a soul" Spike replied. "I knew you and Dru would never last I mean you lasted for….. Uh how many years, hundred or so, but still" He shrugged "So you've been travelling the world" Layla nodded "big place really, went to every country that we know exist, took me ages" she laughed "but hey I had a wile" Buffy walked in the room. "Are you to still trying to know every single detail of what's happened" they both nodded "right anyway Willow's doing that spell to keep Angel out of the house" Layla nodded "well I'm going out" she said as Buffy went to go find Willow. "Where you going" Spike asked "shopping I don't actually have any other clothes except the ones I'm wearing and one other outfit" Spike smiled slightly "blown up in Canada?" Layla nodded "those guys really hated me" She said grabbing her jacket and walking out the door. "Now there's something she's not telling me" He muttered.

"The spell done?" Spike asked "yep finished a while ago, where's Layla?" Buffy said. "Shopping" Spike replied "needs new clothes. What you thinking about" Spike could tell when Buffy had something on her mind. "Wondering how Angel lost his soul mostly. And what he's actually gonna try to do. Last time he tried to suck the world into hell. I've got no idea what he's gonna try and do this time" Spike shrugged "probably try again, he never liked failing" Buffy sighed "Why can't I kill him?" she said annoyed "I don't even really want to try" Spike smirked "I'll do it if you want me to, quite happily in fact" Buffy rolled her eyes and walked out the room "what?" Spike asked "I will"

Layla returned from her shopping trip "did you get enough stuff" Willow asked looking at the various bags. This girl defiantly knew how to shop. "How did you manage to get all that stuff back" Layla grinned "_years_ of practice" she said putting all the bags down "not sure there's gonna be enough room" Willow said. "So you've been around as long as Angel?" Layla nodded "well not quite but yeah pretty much. Still don't quite understand why he changed his name to Angel" she shrugged "oh well he's back to being Angelus now" Willow frowned "aren't you worried at all" Layla shook her head "you've done that spell so he can't get in right?" Willow nodded "so no need to be worried" she said with a shrug "yeah apart from the last time he got like this he tried to suck the world into hell, and Buffy really doesn't want to kill him" Layla smirked "sucking the world into hell. Good for hi… I mean that's really bad and he must be stopped" Willow smiled slightly "that's a great way to stop us from killing you" Layla smirked "Yeah I thought so. But I was never evil so not planning to start now" Willow frowned "so why did you do it. Stay with them and help kill so many people" Laylas smile faded "you want the truth. I was scared. There wasn't anything I could do, stay with them or be killed. Plus I figured they would kill thousands with or without my help" She sighed "I didn't want to die" Willow kind of felt sorry for her. "Xander doesn't trust you" Layla nodded "maybe he shouldn't" She said before heading into the living room with the shopping bags. Leaving Willow to figure out what she meant.

"That it?" Spike asked looking at the shopping bags. To anyone else it would have looked like a lot, but Spike knew Layla. "Yep this is it" Layla said putting the bags down. "I figured you would get more. With a whole day shopping. Unless of course you were somewhere else" Layla frowned "where else would I be?" He just shrugged "this just isn't really you. Normally you would have a lot more stuff" Layla smirked "Yeah well I'm cutting down on shopping" Spike just looked at her. "Yeah if you say so" He said before walking out. Layla sighed how did he always know when she wasn't telling him something.

"Hey Buffy are you going patrolling tonight" Layla asked as Buffy walked in the room "yep as always" She said looking out the window as it was slowly getting darker. "Want me to come with" Buffy just shrugged, there was still something about her that she didn't like but maybe she could find out on patrol. "Yeah if you want" Layla smiled "good I'm up for some violence" Buffy let out a small laugh. "What?" Layla asked. "It's just you go out shopping and buy way to much stuff like a real girly girl then the next thing you know you want to go beat some guys up" Layla shrugged "what can I say, I'm a little odd" Buffy smiled "well that makes two of us" Layla looked at her "Hey it's not so bad being odd" Buffy raised her eyebrows "yeah well you're not a slayer" Layla smirked "that's true I'm just an immortal human who travelled round with a bunch of soulless vampires for a few century's one of which was my brother another which was younger than me but I thought more of as an older brother, all this time I still had a soul. Then when my brother got his soul back the team kind of split up ever since I've been randomly traveling round the world then when I come here I find out that my brother has lost his soul and the vampire I thought to be as my older brother has got one….. Now I talk way too much but hey I'm pretty sure I fit in the category of weird slayer or not" Buffy shrugged "yep I suppose you do" Layla nodded "but hey in the end I'd prefer to be weird than to be normal" Buffy frowned "I don't" Layla shrugged "I wonder why that is" Then there was silence. "So we should probably get on patrol" Buffy said. Layla nodded "hang on I'll just go change"


	7. Not fighting to win

Disclaimer: Still don't own Buffy but I'm working on a time machine so I might soon…. Just jokin'.

**Not fighting to win**

"Just so you know I really don't trust you" Buffy said as she weaved in and out of graves. "Yeah join the club" Layla said with a sigh. "Earlier you said you don't want to be normal?" Buffy said it as a question, Layla just shrugged before replying "yeah I mean being normal, kind of boring, sure you might get quite a few good days but hey being odd means you're really not like anybody else" Buffy looked at her "being normal would be great. Not to have to care about the world, not knowing how scary it actually is, not thinking maybe I'll die today. Sometimes I just want to lie back and say you go save the world" Layla smiled "saving the world, personally I think that's rather a good thing to do. I mean come on you come out here every night fighting evil it's hard to see the bad in that" She said. "But that's just it, I come out and fight evil _every _night, and it doesn't matter how hard I fight, how many vampires, or demons I kill, how many apocalypses I stop it just keeps on coming, I just can't win" Buffy said sounding a little annoyed. "Buffy I don't think you fight so you win. You fight so you don't lose, 'cause if you lose then evil is gonna take over and well… the worlds gonna end. Really it doesn't matter if you win or not all that matters is they don't. Just then a vampire appeared out of nowhere Buffy immediately kicked it in the chest pulled out a stake and jammed it into his heart. "See" Layla said "just don't lose"

There were no more vampire encounters that night. The girls walked in silence Buffy thought about what Layla had said, actually she had a point. "So should we get home then" Layla said breaking the silence. "Yeah I guess" Buffy said heading back. They entered the house "you know I think your right" Buffy said "'Bout what" Layla asked "not fighting to win" Buffy replied before heading up to bed. Layla sighed and headed back out the door and into the night.

"Morning Buffy" Layla said as Buffy came into the kitchen "morning" she said with a slight nod of her head. "So what we gonna do today" Willow asked. "Dunno could we go out someplace" Xander suggested. "Yeah you guys should do that, I'll stay here….. And not burn the place down" Layla said grinning. "Where should we go" Buffy asked. "Not sure, we could just wander round, or go out for lunch or something" Willow said. "Alright" Buffy said "I'll just go and get dressed, then we can go and wander round or something." She said finishing breakfast and going up to her room. "You sure you won't burn the place down" Willow asked smiling "well not with me in it" Layla joked "doesn't worry I'll be fine alone… well with Spike"

Soon Buffy, Willow and Xander had gone out. "So were where you last night" Spike said appearing out of nowhere "oh god Spike, don't sneak up on people" Layla said Spike just stood there looking at her. "I was out patrolling with Buffy" Layla said heading into the living room. "I mean after that" Layla stopped in her tracks "I didn't go anywhere" Spike followed her in "I can tell when you're lying Layla" Layla didn't say anything. "Are you working with him?" Layla frowned "with who?" Spike sighed "with Angelus, don't tell me you're just sneaking around for no reason. It doesn't matter if you didn't actually know he was gonna be here, now he is, and without a soul, you gonna go back to old ways" Layla got up Spike grabbed her arm before she could leave. "I'm not working with him" She said getting out of his hold and grabbing her jacket "you know I've changed my mind. I'm going out" she said throwing the door open "out were?" Spike asked, she left the question unanswered as she walked out the door.


	8. Trusting

Disclaimer: um don't own Buffy….. but you knew that.

**Trusting**

The scoobies came in the back door chatting happily and for the first time in a while buffy was smiling. Spike liked seeing her smile, it made him happy, but right now he had other things on his mind…. Layla. "Where's Layla" Buffy asked. Spike looked up "Uh, Layla, she, um, I think she might… she went out" he could be wrong; he hoped he was wrong; she wouldn't just go back to working with him, would she? "Out where?" Spike shrugged as they heard the front door open. Layla came in the kitchen "hey Layla" Willow said cheerfully. Layla looked to Spike, he didn't say…. anything? He still didn't know if he was right or not, she knew why he hadn't said anything, he trusted her. "Hi. Oh Buffy could we maybe go patrolling together again tonight, kind of need to let off steam, had a weird day" Buffy frowned "weird, how?" how did people always manage to ask the wrong questions. "Oh just weird, kind of annoying, just some…. Stuff that happened when I was out." She knew they would probably ask where she went and wasn't surprised when it was Xander who asked "where did you go?" he didn't try to hide the fact that it sounded like he didn't trust her at all. "Oh just around, met a few guys, really boring story that you don't want to hear" that I also don't want you to hear "yeah we can go patrolling, it's weird I kind of liked talking to you in a crazy mixed up way"

Soon enough Buffy and Layla were patrolling in one of the many cemeteries in Sunnydale. "So you doing ok" Layla asked. "How'd you mean" Buffy asked. "Well I saw you smiling for pretty much the first time since I've been here" Buffy shrugged "so?" Layla continued "and it looked like you were faking" she said turning to face Buffy. Buffy sighed "I've been trying to forgive them, be there friend again, and it's not working" Layla frowned "forgive them for what?" she asked. "Wow one thing you finally don't know" Layla smirked. "Well they tore me out of heaven, they had the best intentions, and I don't blame them for that. But then when I make one mistake, and suggest something they don't like, they kick me out of my own house, and make Faith there leader. And then while I'm going ahead with my plan Faith is going ahead with hers and all of them are behind her. I come back after killing a big bad and getting a weapon that helps us win the final battle, and Faith leads them all into a trap and blows them up….. I don't exactly remember them saying sorry." Layla frowned "this isn't about forgiving them though, is it?" Buffy looked up at her confused. "This is about trust. Trusting them not to do something like that again. Trusting them to be your friends. Trusting them enough to forgive them." Laylas words always seemed to make sense. "That's the thing is I don't trust them…...and I feel bad about it" Buffy said. "You shouldn't trust them" Layla said "not after doing that, but I know for a fact that they won't do anything like it again, because they are your friends, and they need you, and you need them" Buffy sighed "everything just seems so messed up. I don't know who my friends are; I don't know who I can trust" Layla shrugged "you have to find that out yourself, and it's gonna take time, everything always takes time." A group of vampires surrounded them "of course some things take less time" Layla said grabbing a stake at the same time as Buffy. The vampires frowned as they saw the stakes "oh what you think two girls chatting in a cemetery is normal?" Buffy asked with a smirk.

Five minutes, and seven vamps later the two girls were making the way home. "So what am I supposed to do then?" Buffy asked. "Well if you want to be friends with them then you probably should try. You don't have to trust them, not yet, but eventually you will trust them, because there your friends and that's what friends do" she said opening the door to a silent house. "Thanks, Layla" Buffy said as she headed up to her room. Layla sighed "it's all about trust" she said to herself "knowing who to trust….. And who not to" she said smirking.

…..

Just wanting to thank the people who took the time to review…. Because reviews make me happy and encourage me to write more…. Hint Hint


	9. Weird night

Disclaimer: nope I don't own Buffy.

**Weird night**

Buffy's eyes fluttered open. She got up and went down stairs. Her friends were chatting normally like everything was alright, it wasn't all right, they kicked her out of her own house after pulling her out of heaven and now there pretending it never happened. "Hey Buffy" willow said in a rather hyper voice. Buffy ignored her and got breakfast. "Are you alright" Xander asked. "Fine" Buffy muttered "I'm fine." Dawn walked in the room, Buffy was kind of mad at her to. "Giles just called, apparently the new watcher's council is all set up and he's sending out the new watchers to the slayers….. That _you _kicked out the house" Dawn was kind of annoyed about that, she had been friends with a few of them. "Better them than me" Buffy said not loud enough for anyone to hear. "What?" Willow asked. "Good at least now they might do some slaying" she said before walking into the living room leaving her very confused friends and sister behind.

"Whoa guessing your deciding not to start forgiving them yet" Layla said sitting on the sofa with a smirk on her face. "I thought it was about trust" Buffy said ignoring her smirk. "Yeah, you're not exactly trusting them either." Buffy sighed "They seem to think that everything's ok between us. It's not ok, and now Dawn's complaining about _me _kicking the slayersout" Layla just looked at her. "You know. you don't actually ever have to forgive them, the question is….. Do ever want to" she said before getting up and leaving the room to get breakfast. Buffy frowned "I'm not sure" she said to the silence "is that wrong"

Buffy had been thinking about whether she wanted to forgive her friends for the most part of the day. It was after lunch now and rather annoyingly Xander, Willow and Dawn just walked in the room. "Buffy what is wrong, you've been ignoring us all day" Xander said in an annoyed tone. "Yeah funny that" Buffy said not really bothering to care. "Buffy what happened" Willow asked. "Um what happened…. Well I don't know, it might be the fact you seem to forget anything ever happened and pretend everything great between us" Dawn now looked angry "what are you talking about Buffy, we haven't done anything, you're the one who kicked out all the slayers, and still haven't done anything about Angel" Buffy looked at her sister. "Hmm kicking out a slayer… that sounds familiar, of course this wasn't exactly there house, and they weren't exactly trying help, but little bit of déjà vu." Her friends all frowned "what you're mad at us for that, it wasn't exactly our fault" Xander said. Buffy couldn't stop the laugh from coming out "oh I'm sorry did you not _mean _to kick me out my own house" she said sarcastically. "Your plan would have got us killed" Dawn said annoyed. Buffy smirked "and getting blown up was a better plan…. Right I get it now, weapon that helps us defeat big evil equals bad, serious injuries equals good" Dawn shook her head "there was no way for Faith to know…" Buffy cut her off "no this isn't about Faith, or her plan. This is about you kicking me out my own house." Layla walked in the room "after tearing her out of heaven might I add" She said. You told her about that" Xander asked angrily. "Who else was she supposed to tell; obviously you guys would get like this." Dawn glared at her "I really don't like you" Layla shrugged "not actually too fond of you either… funny that" she said sarcastically. "What's that supposed to mean" Dawn said glaring. Layla just smirked. "You know I'm leaving, going to go pummel some bad guys" Buffy said still angry and annoyed. Layla nodded looking out the window to see it slowly getting darker, "I'm guessing you mean alone" Buffy nodded. "Right I'll stay here, go fight Spike or something. I think he's wanting violence" Buffy smiled slightly before grabbing her jacket and slamming the door on her way out.

Buffy sat on a gravestone waiting for some bad guy to show up, she didn't exactly want to one who did. "Hello lover" she heard from behind her "Oh great" she said. "You know I was kind of hoping for some guy to fight, now I'm not so sure" She said turning to face Angelus. Then she shrugged "oh well you'll do" Angelus smirked. "Having a bad day." He always liked it when she had a bad day. "Got in a fight with my friends…. And my sister." He grinned "I came here to kill you but this sounds like fun" Buffy rolled her eyes but ended up sitting back down on the grave stone.

"It started when we were fighting the first" Buffy started unsure why she was telling him. "Basically I kind of lead everyone into a death trap, and loads of people got killed or injured" he grinned at that and ended up sitting on the grave stone opposite her. "Then it got me thinking, if it was that heavily guarded they must be hiding something there" Angelus nodded "makes sense" He said. "So I suggested we go back, but we would be better prepared for what's there the second time. And then they all got mad at me said that it was a stupid idea, and that I shouldn't be the leader. Ended with them telling Faith she was leader and kicking me out my own house. Then …." Angelus cut her off "I'm sorry, they kicked you out of your own house?" She nodded "hey I wouldn't do that…. And I'm evil" She smiled slightly at that. "Anyway I went to the place again on my own. Did way better than with them there, and got myself a nifty weapon that was extremely powerful, and might I add was one of the things that helped us defeat the first. Now they all seem to think that they did absolutely nothing wrong and pretend that everything is great between us" He smirked "so now you hate your friends, this is fun" Buffy glared at him "I've suddenly just thought something" she said "what?" he asked. She got off up the gravestone "WHY THE HELL AMI TELLING YOU THIS" He frowned "that's not what I'm worried about" he said standing up to "why the hell am I listening" they both looked at each other confused. "Ok this has been a weird night" Buffy said. "I'm going to agree with you there" Angelus said. "I'm going to go home now… and pretend this was all a dream" he nodded "we don't tell anyone" Buffy nodded. "Ok leaving now" she said turning and walking away. She felt someone hit the back of her head "just realized…. Sun's not up yet" Buffy smirked as she got back up "looks like I will get a fight after all" He grinned.

"Buffy what happened…. Why do you have a black eye?" Layla said when she got home. "Got in a fight with Angelus, it was kind of weird" Layla frowned "oh not the fight what happened before" Layla still stood there confused. "Well I kind of talked to him, about what was happening; the stuff with my friends and everything, it was crazy. He just had this Angel feel about him, like Angel wasn't completely gone" Layla looked kind of shocked in a not exactly shocked way. More like a oh my god I was right way. "I have to go, out, somewhere, be back, sometime….. Bye" Layla said before practically running out the door. Buffy frowned "wow it's been a weird night, I'm going to go to bed and pretend nothing happened"

….

Well there it is. Read and review and I'll post the next chapter once I write it


	10. Just ask

Disclaimer: You know the drill I don't own Buffy.

**Just ask**

The sunlight crept in through the curtains and woke Buffy up, she remembered last night "hmm perhaps it _was_ a dream" she said going to touch her eye "OW, ok not a dream" She sighed and got out of bed "Oh great now I'm going to have to go and face my annoyed friends" she slowly walked downstairs and into the kitchen. No one even looked up or acknowledged that she was even there. "Where's Layla" She asked. "Dunno" Xander replied not taking his eyes away from his breakfast. "Thought she was with you" Spike said coming in "you and Layla do some fighting when I was out" Spike smirked "that girl can throw a punch, any idea where she is" Buffy shrugged "she kind of left in a hurry when I got back, dunno where she went, didn't exactly seem like she wanted to tell me either" Spike sighed. She couldn't be working with Angelus, could she? "I thought she would be back by now" Buffy said. "You sure none of you guys have seen her" Dawn, Xander, and Willow all looked up "why would we, you're the one who's best friends with her" Dawn said. "I don't think any of us really care" Xander said angrily "actually I'm kind of hoping she's got herself killed" Buffy shot Spike a look to stop him punching Xander in the face. "Now that's really not very nice" Layla said coming through the door, making Spike have to get out the way as the sun poured in "ops sorry Spike" Spike just waved it off. "So what we talking about, other than me dying"

Slowly the clock ticked, seconds went by, minutes went by, hours went by, and the clock ticked on. Silence filled the house. "Buffy we need to talk" Willow said walking in. "Xander's mad at you, Dawn's mad at you, and none of us really trust Layla… but I think you might have a point" Buffy looked up. "I get why your mad, and I think you have a right to be, but that day we were all acting in the moment, and everything was going wrong, and people where dying, and we made a mistake" Buffy nodded "I think I might have been kind of over reacting…. Actually I don't think I do" Willow nodded "I don't know if you're going to accept it, and maybe you shouldn't, but I'm sorry Buffy, I really am" Willow got up and went to walk out the room "Willow wait" Buffy said going after her "I get what happened, I know it probably felt like I was suggesting the worst thing we could do, and maybe you were right, maybe if we had gone along with it more people would have died, but if you had just trusted me" Willow looked at her sadly "I was your best friend, I should have trusted you" Buffy hugged her "your still my best friend Will. And at least you said sorry, that's more than the others can say"

The whole gang was sitting in the living room in silence, each glancing at each other for a second. "We need to figure out what to do about this whole Angel evil thing" Buffy said. Xander just glared at her "look ok we need to put all this behind us and figure out what to do" Willow agreed. Xander just frowned "right we don't even know what he's doing" He said. "Well you could always just ask" Layla suggested. They all looked at her as if she were crazy. "What, why not" Buffy raised her eyebrows "because he's going to tell us" She said sarcastically and was a little shocked when Layla said "yep" and then there were more crazy looks. "Ok any plans that make some sort of sense" Xander asked. "No really, he probably would just tell you, he's kind of a show off. Besides he's probably just going to try to open the gate to a hell dimension and get the world sucked into hell again" and they were back to looking at her as if she was crazy. "What, he really never liked failing. I believe his motto was, if at first you don't succeed, kill whoever stopped you the first time very slowly, and try again" she said happily, a little too happily which made Xander look at her warily. "She's right actually" Spike said agreeing. "He never liked failing, and he would probably tell us" Buffy smirked "Ok this may be the weirdest plan I've heard. Ask very nicely and maybe the big bad will tell you what they're going to do to destroy the world" Layla grinned "sure it _sounds _weird, but it'll work"

And that's how Buffy found herself sitting in a graveyard waiting for her ex to show up so she could ask him what he was going to do to end the world. "Ok then, this is weird" she heard footsteps behind her "what is weird" the all too familiar voice asked. "Oh Angel just the person I wanted to see" she said turning round "I was wondering" she said in a happy voice that made Angel frown at what the hell she was doing "what are you planning on doing to destroy the world this time" the words came out her mouth and she kind of felt a little stupid. "You're asking me how I'm destroying the world?" he asked smirking "u-huh" she said nodding and grinning "o-k then. Well I'm kind of doing the same as last time really, of course I can't do it exactly the same as last time, I have to find a whole new ritual for a whole new hell dimension, but it's all going well" Buffy hid how shocked she was that he actually told her. "Right, ok then, thanks for that…. I'll be going now" She looked at him "or not" she said seeing his expression. "I'm kind of in the mood to kill you, rather slowly" Buffy nodded "yeah Layla said your motto was, if at first you don't succeed, kill whoever stopped you the first time very slowly, and try again" he grinned "she's right there"

…

Ok I know he probably wouldn't have told her, and she probably wouldn't have even asked but I'm kind of in a weird mood today and their conversation kind of made me laugh so oh well. Please review they make me happy and a happy writer is a writer who writes….. Like I said I'm in a weird mood.


	11. Spell fail

**Spell fail **

"Fighting with Angelus seems to be a regular routine" Layla said as Buffy came through the door. "Well he told me what he was doing…. Oddly enough" Buffy said. Layla grinned "told ya, let me guess he's sucking the world into hell" Buffy nodded "oh yeah I knew it" Layla said grinning. "You realize this can't relay be considered a _good _thing" Buffy said causing Layla to frown "that's a fair point" She said realizing. Buffy smirked and headed up stairs "well night, what you doing up anyway" Layla shrugged "waiting for you. Checking you're not dead…." Spikes voice cut her off "going out somewhere perhaps" Buffy frowned and Layla answered quickly "no, where would I be going" Spike smirked "I'm guessing no were then…. You should probably get to bed" He said walking off "yeah, you probably should" Buffy said now a little suspicious. Layla sighed and walked into the living room "dam it" she muttered.

"So what's Angel doing then" Xander asked as they all sat in the living room "oh wait let me guess Layla was completely wrong." He said before Buffy could answer. "Actually Layla was completely right" Layla smirked at Xander expression and Buffy continued "about everything, actually. More being sucked into hell, new hell dimension and new ritual though" Xander shrugged "well been here done this, should be easy" Layla shook her head "this time it might not be the case of kill Angelus ritual stops" Buffy frowned "so you mean, if it starts there's no stopping it" Layla shrugged "possibly, maybe there will be another way, but until we know what hell he's sucking us all into we won't know what way that would be. Although I'm pretty sure it'll need magic, so we'll need Willow with us" Layla said. "Here's an idea, just get Willow to return his soul and all's good" Buffy said wondering why she hadn't already thought of that, she had been so caught up in how she hadn't realized they could easily get it back. "Well I don't think she'll remember the spell" Layla said. Willow grinned "actually I have it upstairs, I forgot all about it. I could go get it now" She said getting up "NO" Layla said suddenly, all eyes turned to her, "I mean, are you sure you remember how to do it, because if you make one little mistake…. That would be bad" Willow nodded "it's the first spell I did, I remember it" She said going upstairs. Layla let out a sigh. "Ok this is what we need" Willow said coming back down "we'll do it tonight…. Well if we can get all the stuff"

Everybody was out getting stuff except for Layla…. Well and Spike it was still day time. "Why you not out running around after all the witchy supplies" Spike asked "nothing they need me to get" Layla said with a shrug. "Why do I feel you don't want Angel to get his soul back" Layla sighed "not this again. I'm not working with Angelus" Spike sat down "somehow I'm finding that harder and harder to believe" Layla closed her eyes for a second. "Ok then say I was working with Angelus, wouldn't I be over there right now telling him were giving him his soul back" Spike smirked "no you wouldn't because you know I think your working with him and you always used to say no matter what you do, don't blow your cover" Layla sighed. "Well that's true. What you say doesn't mean anything though" Spike shrugged "not yet"

Almost everything was set up "we should have probably tried this the second he came to Sunnydale" Willow said sitting in position "well I had stuff on my mind, didn't actually think of it" Buffy replied "anyway I got the orb-y thing, remind me why we don't just kill him?" Xander said coming in. Buffy left his question unanswered "You're up Will" Willow gave her a weak smile and started the spell.

Willow hadn't got black hair yet which was always a good thing and the orb had started glowing. "It's working" Buffy said…. She must have jinxed it because as she said that the orb started vibrating. "I don't think that's supposed to happen" Xander said and it vibrated harder causing the whole table to shake. "Defiantly not supposed to happen" he added. A crack appeared in the orb and not five seconds later it shattered causing everybody to duck instinctively. Spike immediately looked over to Layla, but she was just as shocked as the rest of them, she was a good actor but she wasn't _that_ good. "Well overall I think that was an absolute failure" Layla said getting up and dusting the shattered orb off her clothes. Buffy looked around to check no one was hurt "WILLOW!" She said suddenly seeing her collapsed on the floor.

"Willow, Willow, are you all right" Willow heard Xander voice in the distance. "Does she look like she's all right" came Laylas voice, this time it was a little closer. "Willow can you hear me" Buffy asked this time Willow heard it loud and clear. Her eyes fluttered open. Xander let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "Oh thank god" He said. "Willow do you know what happened" Buffy asked "did something go wrong?" Willow shook her head "I did everything right, I know I did" Buffy frowned "then why did…?" she let her question trail off. "When I was casting the spell, there was something else there, something powerful, I couldn't get past. I think someone else had cast a spell that means…" Xander finished her sentence "we can't give Angel back his soul" Buffy sighed "I'm going to have to kill him… again"

….

Duh duh duh. There's the next chapter guys. Please review and I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I write it….. Which I don't exactly know when that's going to be but still. Smiley faces all around . In case you're wondering I am very weird.


	12. Going crazy

**Going crazy**

Buffy sat on the sofa glumly. The sun was down and the vamps where out but she couldn't bring herself to leave. She was weighing up a stake in her hand, and concentrating on nothing else. "You not going out?" Layla asked. Buffy looked up she hadn't even realized she was in the room. "How long have you been there?" She asked leaving her question unanswered. "Five minutes give or take" Layla said shrugging "what you thinking 'bout?" Buffy sighed "nothing….. Well at least I'm trying to. I don't want to kill him again, there's just no other way" Layla bit her lip "no there isn't…. I'll go out, instead of you, well um, see ya" and she quickly left the house. "What is with her" Buffy muttered "did Layla just go out?" Spike asked Buffy just nodded "I'm going to go… help" and he quickly followed her out.

Layla stood there twirling a stake. "Here vampy, vampy, vampys, and come out, come out wherever you are" She said looking around "do you think that's going to work" Spike said coming up behind her. "Oh geeze Spike don't sneak up on people. And yes I do because you do happen to be a vampire" Spike smirked "yeah well except for me" Layla sighed "what are you doing here" she asked "stopping you running to Angelus" he didn't even bother to lie. "I'm not working with Angelus" she said in an annoyed tone. "Ok then one quick question when is he planning on opening hell, and is he still living in that mansion place" Layla glared at him "that's two questions. And how would I know" They heard a voice behind them "uh next Tuesday…. And yes" Angelus said smirking. They both turned round. "Next Tuesday?" Layla asked frowning. "That's four days from now" Spike said. Angelus smirked "yeah I was originally going to do it in two weeks but then I thought, why wait." Layla let out a sigh of frustration "four days? You sure you gonna be ready" she said smirking. "Yeah pretty sure" he replied. "Why are you telling us" Spike asked frowning "do you _want _to be killed" Angelus smiled slightly "no I just want to watch the slayer get sucked into hell." And that made spike mad "you don't actually think you can beat her do you?" he asked. "Yes. You think she could kill me until the last minute?" he answered. Spike glared at him "still ends with you dead, plus I'm fine to kill you. In fact I'm kind of leaning towards doing it now" there was no way he was going to kill Buffy. "uh Spike, just saying if you two fight I'm probably going to have to join in and funnily enough I'm not in the mood to die" Layla said, Spike had kind of forgotten she was there. "I mean I know I'm kind of immortal, but I'm still technically human, no super strength, and still can die anyway a normal human can… well almost" Spike sighed. "You gonna go tell Buffy now, I would hate for her to miss the big day" and with that Angelus walked away.

Spike and Layla walked home quickly. Layla muttered to herself talking so fast all her words pretty much rolled into one, not that Spike had a clue what she meant anyway. "ok Tuesday, four days, not enough time, need time, no evidence, all based on theories, four days, no time, need time, more time, too late, too late, can't work it out, not enough time, need time, next Tuesday, why wouldn't he tell me it was next Tuesday" she let out a gasp as she suddenly span round to face Spike realizing he was there. "Why wouldn't he tell you?" he said raising his eyebrows "I knew it, you are, you are working with him" Layla closed her eyes and sighed. Once again she spoke so fast it was hard to understand her "of course I'm working with him, what else I could do, I can't be good, I can never be good, can't just suddenly be good, it's probably easy for you, just fall in love with the right girl, get a soul, can't do that, already got mine, it's just to messed up to be of any use, not my fault, part of its yours, can't just be good…." Spike put his hands on her shoulders and cut her off "Layla slow down" Layla pretty much collapsed on him "not enough time" She muttered "need to know, got to work it out…" she said into his chest. "Layla when was the last time you slept" She straightened up and looked at him. "What do you mean" she said pretending everything was all right "Layla I know you, you only get like this when you are insanely tired" Layla looked down at the floor "the day after I arrived here, it's only been a week or two" Spike stared at her "_only a week or two" _he said amazed "why, how" Layla just sighed "does it matter why or how, there's not enough time" Spike frowned "so you keep saying, not enough time for what" Layla shook her head and laughed "not gonna lie, not gonna say, can't say, won't say, can't work it out, no worked it out, all just theories, don't know for certain, won't be enough, will it be enough, could it, might be right, might be wrong…" that was enough "LAYLA STOP IT FOR FIVE SECONDS" Spike shouted. Layla snapped back to reality and stopped muttering to herself. "Ok, what are you talking about" Spike said making an effort to stay calm and not shout again. Layla shook her head "not gonna lie to you anymore, not gonna say anything, besides none of it matters, your just gonna go tell Buffy" Spike sighed "I'm not gonna tell Buffy… but I suggest you get the _hell _outta Sunnydale" Layla bit her lip "can't go , things to do, things to work out, wasting time, not enough time" Spike sighed in frustration "not this again, ok we need to get you home, you need to get some sleep" Layla shook her head "none of it matters" Spike grabbed her arm and started pulling her home "Layla you need to sleep, you sound like you're crazy" Layla smiled "Maybe I am"

When they arrived the house was silent. Layla immediately went into the living room and grabbed her notebook, which she had hidden under the sofa, and a pen. Spike looked down and saw there where already three pens out of ink, and four different notebooks piled up, most probably finished. She quickly opened the notebook "whoa no way Layla you're sleeping" Layla shook her head "not enough time, maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong, have to make sure" Spike walked over to her and snatched the notebook away, Layla immediately reacted by punching him in the face, something he wasn't expecting and made him drop the book. "Might be right, good if I'm right, what if I'm wrong, only end badly, 136 it could end badly if I'm wrong, 128 ways it could end well if I'm right, 35 ways it could end badly if I'm right too though, need to make sure I'm right, somehow, need time" Spike shook his head "need sleep" he was close to giving up on her now. "No need to find out if I'm right, do you have a phone?" Spike ignored her. "Go. To. Sleep. _Now" _Layla ran her hands through her hair. She felt her eyes slowly closing before snapping them open again "no need to find out if I'm right" but she knew she couldn't keep it up longer and two minutes later there was no wakening her up.

….

I love writing Layla crazy…. Hmm wonder what she's finding out, of course I know I just haven't put it into words yet. Please review and I'll get the next one up as soon as I can.


	13. Unheard conversations

**Unheard conversations**

Moring came and the whole house was up except for Layla. "Isn't she awake yet" Xander asked kind of annoyed. "No, try to wake her and I will kill you" Spike said, still feeling kind of protective of Layla even if she was working with Angelus, he should tell Buffy, but it was _Layla. _"Anyway" Spike started as Buffy walked into the room. "We ran into Angelus last night" that got everyone's attention "he kind of told us when he was opening hell, oh and he's still living in that mansion place" Buffy looked at him "he just told you" Spike nodded "kind of wanted to watch you die. Anyway he's opening hell on Tuesday" everyone looked shocked they weren't ready for that. "Tuesday?" Buffy asked "no, I'm not ready, I need to go, get some air, or something" Willow looked concerned as Buffy slipped outside.

"Buffy" Said a voice behind her. "Go away Xander" Buffy muttered frustrated she couldn't deal with this now. Xander ignored her and went and sat next to her. "Can't do that. Are you alright" Buffy looked at him "why would you care, thought you were mad at me" Xander shrugged "I was, and then I realized I was being kinda stupid" Buffy raised her eyebrows "look Buffy. I hate the fact everything has been so messed up over these past weeks, and I don't want to be mad at you any more" Buffy sighed "especially because I've done nothing wrong" She said annoyed. "Well yeah" that kind of took Buffy by surprise. "Can I say I'm sorry?" Xander asked. Buffy shrugged "you can say it, not sure it's gonna make a difference" Xander sighed "then I'm sorry" Buffy bit her lip "didn't seem to make much difference, but thanks. Now I'm going to go prepare to kill the love of my life….. For a second time" and with that she got up and went to punch something to let her anger out.

The morning came and went and it wasn't until after lunch Layla woke up. "Oh dam it how long was I sleeping for" she said sitting up bolt upright wide awake. "Dunno it's just after lunch, you hungry?" Spike replied. They were the only people in the room. "No I'm fine…. Where's the phone" Spike sighed. "Ok what where you going on about last night" Layla just shook her head. "I told you I don't want to lie to you any more…. So I'm not going to say anything" She got up "Layla" Spike said in an annoyed tone as she started to leave the room. "just tell me, what are you trying to figure out" Layla closed her eyes for a second hoping that maybe it would all go away by the time she opened them again, no such luck. "I have figured it out, I just don't know if I'm right or not, if I'm wrong and I tell you that would be worse than if I'm right and I don't" Layla said. Spike sighed "Layla whatever it is, I'm guessing it's not good considering you're working with Angelus" Layla just stood there glaring at him "look just go tell Buffy if you want to. I'm not saying anything" and with that she went to find the phone.

Spike followed her silently maybe he could find out what she was doing if he listened in. "hey it's me" Layla said. Spike wasn't close enough to hear the reply even if he was a vampire. "Ok so you got anything else" he watched Layla bite her lip "you're sure?" She said with a sigh "and there's no way we could…. Right ok I get it alternate dimension, but there's got to be some spell….. Fine all right there's nothing we can do" she sounded kind of annoyed mixed in with worried. "And did you get anything else on my theory?" she asked "yeah I know what you said before, but have you got anything other than "it could work" because could isn't exactly much use to me" Layla nodded even though there wasn't anyone else there. Well that she knew of. "Ok but I don't want to try it if it could end badly… do you really think I should try it, there might not be enough time after if I'm wrong….. yeah maybe your right, but I'll try to find out if I'm right first and then when the time comes I'll say… okay then thanks, bye" and she put the phone down "well that was no help" Spike said coming into view "of course I could only actually hear your side of the conversation. So who where you calling" Layla turned around and went to leave the room "a friend, I've been all around the world I'm bound to meet some people who know this stuff" he followed her out the room where they met Buffy. "Hey" Layla said happily. Spike debated whether he should tell her Layla was working with angelus… something he had been doing a lot, once again he decided not to. He had convinced himself he was doing it for a good reason and he could get information out of Layla, even though he could tell she was never going to talk.

"Hi" Buffy said with no emotion in her voice "what's up" Layla asked. Buffy sighed "I just can't kill him, I know he isn't Angel, but I couldn't do it before until the last minute and now I know how it feels losing him, I'm not ready to do it again, one time was way too much" Buffy sighed "I don't want to kill him" Willow called her name and she sighed as she made her way into the kitchen "if everything goes well you won't kill him" Layla said once Buffy was out of ear shot "I won't let Buffy die. I'll tell everyone you're working with Angelus….. I'll even kill you myself if I have to, I won't let Buffy die" Spike told her angrily. Layla simply smiled "I know" she said walking out the door.


	14. Double agent

**Double agent**

The days seemed to fly by. Those days were spent training for Buffy who was trying to keep her mind off what she was going to have to do. Layla was constantly scribbling things down in her notebook and muttering how many things could go wrong, or right. Spike had spent the days trying to figure out what Layla was doing, while she kept everything away from him very well, and it ended in him getting more confused. Xander and Willow were trying to become friends with Buffy again although it probably wasn't the best time. But now it was the day, just a normal Tuesday to everyone else, but to them it was the day they had to stop hell opening.

Buffy sat on the sofa staring into space. "Buffy are you alright" a concerned Willow asked. Buffy simply shook her head. "If you like Spike could kill him" Xander suggested. "Xander I'm not sure I would let him" Buffy sighed. "Is it me or does the sun seems to be traveling across the sky way to quickly today" She asked. "Well technically he's inside so he could have already started" Layla piped up causing everyone to look at her with annoyance and worry on their faces. "But he probably hasn't" she added quickly. "You'll do fine Buffy" Dawn encouraged "you always do, I mean you've saved the world enough times, you have experience and….." Buffy cut her off "you're not coming Dawn" She said with a sigh. "Why not I could totally be of help" everyone looked at her "ok then maybe not so much but come on." Buffy ignored her "how did this happen, how did he lose his soul, was it a spell, was he with another girl…" Layla interrupted "it doesn't matter really, all that matters is he's back, he's sucking the world into hell, and we have to stop him" Spike looked at her wondering if she knew anything about it. "We should probably get going" Willow said Buffy glanced out the window "I don't want to do this" she whispered "Ok then let's go" she said loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I thought you were never going to show" Angelus said with a smirk "wouldn't miss it for the world" Buffy replied trying to sound braver than she felt, she thought it worked. "So what are you gonna do, try to fight all of us?" Buffy asked. "What am I up against? A slayer who might not be able to kill me, a regular human, my little sister, a witch…. Hey didn't you try to end the world wonder what would happen if I turned your into a vampire" Willow glared at him "but really what is she gonna do, give me back my soul I believe you already tried. The only person I really have to watch out for is Spike and I'm really not too worried about him" Buffy told herself, again, that he wasn't Angel, and she could kill him…. It didn't work to well. "what you're up against is a _very_ powerful witch, a slayer who really wants to kill you, oh and by the way your little sister is a hell of a fighter" Angelus shrugged "well I'm not working alone" he said with a smirk. "Do you want to know what the funniest thing is" Layla said going to stand next to her brother "Spike knew." Everyone looked at her shocked, and at Spike angrily "Layla… why?" Buffy asked a mixture of shocked, angry and a little disappointed. "Oh don't blame me I just like to be on the winning side" Buffy shook her head. "that's not the reason, Layla you have a soul you have to know this is wrong" Layla smirked and nodded "maybe so, but a soul doesn't stop you doing the things that are wrong, only makes you feel bad and really once you get the hang of it it's kind of all right" Buffy stared at her. "You don't have to do this, come on do something good you spent years doing evil be good for once" Layla sighed in frustration "Buffy I don't care about doing good, I don't want to care, what part of this don't you understand. I am evil always have been always will be" Buffy still didn't believe that "no Layla you could be someone, your human, you can be good" Layla was angry now "BUFFY ARE YOU BLIND. Humans don't care about being good. Humans murder each other, have you watched the news the things they do to each other, they're going to wipe their own race out. Really going to hell is the best thing they can do" Xander glared at her "what gonna stop us killing you" Layla shrugged and then smirked "nothing but it's not me you have to worry about. Wonder where my brothers got off to" Everyone looked around, angelus had gone "he's probably started the ritual by now…. Wanna go find him"

"Hey" Layla said happily as they got into the room "little early don't ya think" Angelus said as her sister walked in "well yeah but didn't you turn all those vampires to keep them busy" She said with a smirk "well element of surprise is out" he said looking at his sister and unable to keep the smile off his face. Layla grinned "whops." Everyone had got into a fighting stance as the vampires surrounded them "I hope you make it through that because I _really _wantto see you go to hell" Angelus said smirking.

The vampires couldn't really fight but Angelus was over the other side of the room and had started the ritual. It was times like this where she wished she had a crossbow. She quickly staked another vampire and tried to get over to Angelus, but in the end there were kind of too many vampires. "Spike we need to get over to Angelus" Spike punched a vampire in the face "Kind of busy" She looked back over to were Angelus and Layla were standing.

This was it. It was time. Layla reached inside her jacked and pulled out a stake. Angelus span around and caught her arm when the stake was just inches from his heart. Layla looked up at him

"Oh dam it"

…...

Oooo how many of you were expecting that. I want to thank everyone who reviews and I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I write it.


	15. Betrayed

**Betrayed**

Previously:

This was it. It was time. Layla reached inside her jacked and pulled out a stake. Angelus span around and caught her arm when the stake was just inches from his heart. Layla looked up at him

"Oh dam it"

…

Layla punched him in the face to make him let go of her wrist. "What are you doing?" Angelus asked angrily. "I am trying to kill you what does it look like I'm doing" Layla replied sarcastically if she was scared she definitely didn't show it. "It looks like you have a death wish" Layla shrugged "funnily enough no" At this point some one else might have been backing away, not Layla. "Then why?" Layla sighed "I saw the world. I saw the people. I saw their lives, I saw their deaths, and I saw what they could do to each other. Murders, wars, just causing each other pain, for some people going to hell won't be any different. But I also saw a world where people _do_ care, were love isn't just fairy tale, and for once I actually realized people could be happy. I felt what they felt, and then I felt sorry for you. Knowing you couldn't love, couldn't feel just because you didn't let yourself. And you think you're alright, and you think causing people pain makes you happy, but you don't know what happy is. Now you gonna suck the world into hell and I wonder is the world gonna be a better or worse place because of it? A world with no war, no suffering, no pain, but also a world with no love, no hope, no happiness. Is the world better with or without the people? Personally I think it's an alright world to live in" Angelus smirked "you've defiantly changed Layla" Layla smirked and shrugged "what can I say, you _defiantly _haven't. Still evil, still _really_ annoying, still could beat me in a fight, but maybe I can give you a black eye"

Angelus smiled "I suppose I have a little time…. Really that's all I'll need." Spike was staring over at the two listening to their conversation…. Had Layla gone crazy? "SPIKE, look out" Buffy's voice came and snapped him back to reality just in time to stop another vampire attack. Layla could hear the commotion going on behind her but she kept her eyes on her brother. She went to punch him but he blocked it instinctively. She quickly dodged one of his punches knowing she wouldn't really be strong enough to block it. Spike looked back over at the brother and sister. They fought pretty much exactly the same. Same style, they mostly got out the way, and seemed to know each other's attacks but in the end for each punch or kick that got in Angelus could always hit harder.

"Oh come on Layla you're not getting tired already are you?" Angelus asked as he threw her into a wall. She looked up at him "you wish" she saw the stake she had, had on the floor quickly ducking under another punch she rolled and picked it up. "Your really not gonna get time to use that" Layla could feel the blood on her face as she replied "wanna bet"

"Buffy we really need to get over to Angelus" Spike said looking over at Layla again "yeah I said that already" she said staking one of the final vampires. "Yeah well I didn't really care then" Spike said. "But now Layla's in trouble we all need to go save her" Xander said annoyed "I don't really see why you care so much, she probably just changed her mind at the last minute" Spike resisted the urge to stop fighting the vampires and fight Xander instead.

More punches were thrown and none of them landed. "You know I think I could do this all night, what about you" Angelus asked his sister. Layla was injured pretty badly; fighting a vampire probably wasn't the best thing to do. "Truthfully I was eighty six present sure I'd be dead by now so I'm doing pretty well I think" Angelus shrugged "well I really need to start this ritual so I think we'd better finish up here" Angelus grabbed Laylas arm as she went to hit him grabbed the stake she was holding and threw her into a wall.

The last vamp dusted, Buffy, Spike and Willow all looked over to where Layla and Angelus had been and saw they were no longer fighting. Buffy ran over not bothering to search for the stake that had been knocked out of her hand she would use the stake Layla had got to kill Angelus. She looked around for where Layla's stake was and saw it sticking out of Layla. "Oh god" she quickly forgot about killing her ex and ran over to Layla. She had no idea how Spike ad got there so fast. Spike knelt beside her. "Layla, no, no way, this isn't happening, this can't be happening" What he felt now was close to how he had felt when he had seen Buffy's body after she had jumped into the portal to save Dawn. "Sorry Spike this kind of is happening" Layla said smiling weakly.

…..

Awwwwww. Please review. In the next chapter where going to find out what Layla had been losing so much sleep over and trying to figure out whether she was right or not….. I'll get it up as soon as possible.


	16. Last words

**Last words**

"Well that went well didn't it, what were you thinking, trying to kill him it was obvious he would beat you" Xander said annoyed. "Xander!" Buffy exclaimed. "What its true there's no way he wouldn't have won" Layla smirked "actually I was kind of counting on that" Everyone turned and looked at her frowning. "We need to get you to a hospital Layla" Buffy said. "No" Layla replied. "You're not thinking strait Layla" Spike said. "Ok now…." Layla cut Buffy off "Look hospitals won't be very helpful when the world gets sucked into hell, will you just listen" They all ignored her. "Me and Xander could take her you two go fight Angelus" Willow suggested. "Right ok" Buffy replied. "Guys will you just listen" they ignored her again. "Ok do you want to know how to get Angel's soul back or not" that got everyone's attention.

"W-what" Buffy asked shocked. "I asked whether you wanted to know how to give Angel his soul back, and find out how he lost it in the first place" Layla said calmly trying to ignore that there was, in fact, a pointy wooden stick sticking out her chest and she was slowly dying of blood loss. When no one answered she decided to tell them what she knew. "Ok I'm pretty sure I'm right, although I haven't quite figured that out yet. These are all just theories but I think it'll work" Buffy nodded "how did it happen, how did he lose it, was there another girl?" she asked the question that had been bugging her ever since she found out he was evil again. "No" relief washed over Buffy although she knew it probably shouldn't. "Then how?" Willow asked. "End of the world. There was a demon, extremely strong, too hard to fight. He was going to end the world; this demon just liked watching people suffer…...Especially slayers. So Angel made a deal with him… his soul for the world. The demon knew he would go after you and he could watch so he agreed. One decision, one second, one soul for all the world" Layla told them. No one quite knew what to say, Willow broke the silence. "But how do we get it back I already tried the spell." Layla shook her head. "The demon is in another dimension, he watches earth from there, he's got Angel's soul with him, and you can't pull it out of a completely different dimension. But when the demon took his soul, it wasn't the one moment of happiness thing, it was torn out of him, and when that happened… a part was left behind"

"What?" Buffy asked shocked. "She's lying, she's working with him, you can't trust her" Xander exclaimed, he still didn't trust Layla "she's just buying Angelus more time" Buffy wanted to believe Layla but could Xander be right? "Buffy that night, after the fight with your friends. You said it felt like Angel wasn't completely gone" Buffy remembered "that's because he's not" Layla said trying to make her believe her. "Oh god" Buffy said, it was real, Layla wasn't lying. "How do we get him back?" Xander looked at Buffy and let out a sigh of frustration. "The thing with souls, they like to be whole. The part the demon has just needs to know where the other part is. Just make Angelus feel something, anything. I suppose you could try love, but since the curse was created to make him feel guilt I would go with that. Plus love might give him that one moment of pure happiness and that would be bad" Xander shook his head "yeah make Angelus feel, that'll work. This is _Angelus_ it's never going to happen" Layla felt everything slowly slipping away and her hand instinctively moved to the stake. "This is Angelus, with a piece of Angel's soul"

"And this, it'll work?" Buffy asked unaware at how close to death Layla was becoming, but somehow Spike wasn't, he knew, he always knew. "Well in theory it'll work, if it doesn't, distract him while Spike shoves a pointy stick in his heart" Layla could tell she was fighting to be here now, she wasn't doing it on purpose, but she was immortal, her body did it naturally, she wasn't sure if she was happy or sad about that, because, funnily enough, having a stake sticking out of you hurt like hell but she would probably be going to hell, so wasn't sure if she wanted to keep fighting at the moment. "Layla, we need to get you to a hospital or something I'm not letting you die" Spike could tell Layla didn't have much longer. "Don't worry I don't care" Spike stared at her "you don't care? Layla I do. You can't die" Layla shrugged "why should I care. I should have died a long time ago, I was just hit by a spell that had gone wrong that just happened to stop me getting older, it's not really like I'm any good to the world" Spike looked at her in disbelief "Layla, you can't want to die" Layla stared to sigh then stopped realizing how much it hurt, even breathing hurt which was annoying. "of course I don't want to die, but hey it's all fine, it's all gonna be fine" Spike shook his head "we have to find a way to save you" Layla shrugged "good luck with that I'm pretty sure it's too late, no wait, correction I am _completely _sure it's too late" Spike still didn't believe her "you don't mean that, you can't mean that" Layla bit her lip "Spike, listen, I'm fine, I'm ready, I've done everything I've wanted to do, I've lived a while, I've seen the world, I've had at least twenty different hair colours, not all of them on purpose, and it's going to be ok, _I'm_ going to be ok. Expect, of course, the fact I'm going to hell, but what you gonna do 'bout that" with that Layla's eyes fluttered shut, and Spike couldn't hear her heartbeat anymore.

Willow, Buffy and Spike all stared at her body "I liked her" Willow said holding in tears "except for the whole, she killed a load of people even though she had a soul thing, she was really nice" Buffy nodded "easy to talk to, always had the right words to make you feel better" Xander just stared at her not caring at all "I still don't trust her,and still really don't like her" this time Spike didn't bother to stop himself and his fist collided with Xander's face.

…

He he he I like the ending. Soooooo what do you think, do you like what I did, how Angel lost his soul, how to get it back, how Layla died….. I really really really want to know what you think of this particular chapter….. So please please please review.


	17. Remember her

**Remember her**

"Let's go" Buffy said taking one last look at Layla. It was weird she had seen so many people die but somehow with Layla it was different. Not only had she died to save the world, but somehow she really did have a way of making Buffy feel better. "We're just going to leave her there?" Spike asked in disbelief "no were going to go save the world first" He nodded "Oh right yeah… the world."

They made their way into various rooms before finding Angelus. "I was wondering when you'd show….. Actually took a little longer than expected, how is little sis" he asked smirking. Anger flashed over Spikes eyes and Buffy shoot him a look stopping him tearing Angelus apart…. Or trying to. "I'm sure you already know" Buffy said glaring at him. He shrugged "shame, so what you here to do, kill me, can you do it yet" Buffy sighed, and was glad she might not have to. "so many people are dead because of you, and now so many more are going to be to" Buffy stated, if she was going to make him feel guilt she guessed this was the best way, Spike however had a different plan…. That wasn't really a plan he was just speaking his mind. "She was your sister" he muttered "and you killed her" he added in disbelief "how?" he asked. Angelus just shrugged "sorry you're mistaking me for someone who cares" Willow laughed slightly "but you do care, I can tell, just a small part…. Must be that pesky soul" Angelus frowned "what are you talking about" Buffy shrugged "the reason we didn't get here earlier, your little sister, she's quite smart. She worked it all out, found out how you lost your soul then realized a part of it is still there" Angelus shook his head "Your lying." Xander glared at him "I wish she was…. Then maybe we could finally get rid of you"

"Well even if that was true, I still don't feel anything, so must be a really small part, anyway… the worlds still getting sucked into hell." Angelus said with a shrug. "It must have hurt" Spike said thinking out loud "it must have hurt so much, she just bled to death…. And I listened to her heartbeat slowly fade away" He didn't even notice anyone around him. "There was nothing to do, nothing I could have done, at least she died with her eyes closed, she always wanted to" he finally looked up at Angelus "do you remember? Didn't want to look at anything and not see it, I never quite understood" He sighed. Angelus had stopped in his tracks memories of his little sister running through his head 'it means nothing' he convinced himself. "Did you even see her?" Spike asked "before you turned and left. She knew it was going to happen….. She _planed_ it." Spike shook his head. "But she knew, she never told you, but she always knew you'd be the one to kill her in the end. Never thought it would be me, or Darla, or Dru, or anyone else... Always knew it would be you. Never thought she'd die trying to save the world though" He smiled sadly. "What are you trying to do" Angelus asked desperately trying to stop the past memories of Layla. Spike shrugged "thinking out loud, asking some questions, wondering if her death was all for nothing, I'm somehow beginning to think it was" Buffy shook her head "it wasn't, it couldn't have been" Spike sighed "everything Layla used to do, the things she said, the way she smiled, the way she laughed, the way she died…. It was all for nothing, because he's never going to bother to remember any of it" Spike said annoyed. Angelus said it before he could stop himself "I remember."

All eyes turned to him as he realized his slip up. He saw images of Layla in his head, images of her dying, images of what he did to her. 'But it means nothing' he told himself again "but it doesn't mean a thing" he said out loud mostly to himself but also to everyone around him. This this though, he didn't manage to convince himself. This wasn't right. He wasn't supposed to care. He wasn't supposed to feel _anything_. It was just another girl. It wasn't any more than that. 'It was Layla' a part of him said 'it's_ so_ much more than that' no they were lying. There was no way he had any part of his soul. It didn't matter that Layla was dead 'that _you_ killed her' it didn't matter, none of it mattered. 'Layla mattered' this wasn't happening. The witch she was doing something, she had to be doing something….. "Layla!" the second the word left his lips he was out the door. She couldn't be dead, he couldn't have killed her, he couldn't.

It had been so silent. Then Layla's name had echoed through the room, and suddenly Angelus was gone….. No wait, it was Angel. "Come on" Buffy said quickly following him out. "I can't believe that worked" Xander said in shock. "I can" Willow said brightly. Spike stayed silent and slowly followed Buffy out Xander and willow following close behind. They Caught up with Buffy and entered the room. By then both Angel and Layla had vanished.

...

Thanks to people who reviewed. I know this is short but what do you think


	18. Panicked

**Panicked**

They had walked home in silence. No one quite knowing what to say. The second they entered the room Spike immediately went over and snatched up Laylas note books. "She's been working on this the day she got here," he said in disbelief. Buffy walked over and looked at him to "wow she liked seeing how many ways things could go wrong didn't she" he flicked through them all "there got less chance as she worked more of it out…. But she was right, everything based on theories" He threw them back on the floor.

The night went by and Spike could be heard down in the basement beating up a punching bag and letting his anger out…. Although it wasn't working very well. Buffy lay in her bed staring at the ceiling, Layla had been trying to work out a way to get Angel back since the day she came here….. But she had never really met him, so why. Willow couldn't get to sleep either, partly because the noise Spike was making, but mostly because she hadn't really talked to Layla but when she did she had always made her smile, and now she would never get to see her again. Xander would never admit it to anyone, but Layla had actually been all right. She had died to save the world, and she didn't really need to, but she did, because it made things better. He stared out the window wondering where she was now.

Morning came and went and the house was silent. Everyone was up but no one seemed to be able to speak, or do anything really. Buffy finally broke the silence early in the afternoon. "It's funny how you don't realize she like someone until there gone" Willow nodded. "I knew" Spike said smiling slightly "hell I liked her when I was evil and soulless…. Which is part of the reason Dru hated her so much" Xander shrugged "I hardly spoke to her" he didn't admit he was sad about it. "Why is this time any different?" Buffy asked "I mean we've seen so many people die, people we've loved, but why's this any different" Willow shrugged "she died to save the world and she didn't have to. Just knew she could make it better" Spike sighed "and she said she couldn't be good, knew she was lying"

Everyone got on doing what they needed to do not talking to anyone else. "So how did she die?" Dawn asked Spike. "Don't ask me again Dawn" Spike said annoyed. "But no one's telling me anything. And everyone's just going around pretending there fine when it's so easy to tell they want to burst into tears and I want to know" Spike sighed "Dawn, please just don't ask _me_" dawns mouth formed an O shape "Uh, I'll go, now….. Sorry" she said realizing Spike didn't want to try to explain how Layla died.

"Um Buffy" Dawn said entering the kitchen where Buffy was making herself busy. "How'd Layla die?" Buffy stopped. "It's a long story" Buffy said. "I've got time" Dawn said sitting down. Buffy sighed and went to sit next to her. "She worked with Angelus" Dawn cut in "oh I knew I hated her" Buffy shook her head "to figure out how he lost his soul and how to get it back. Then she Sort of got into a fight with him, knowing he would win. So she could tell us what she knew. Although she wanted as long as possible to figure out if she was right" Dawn looked down "Oh… and uh _how _did she die" Buffy got up "she had a stake shoved into her and died of blood loss" Dawn couldn't think of a reply. "But she was right…. even if she didn't know it"

The sun set in the sky. Buffy couldn't bring herself to go on patrol. Besides these days there weren't many demons, or vampires around. A knock on the door echoed through the house. Buffy frowned as she opened it. "Angel" she breathed. 'Right ok you're over him, remember that' she thought. "Uh hi" he said awkwardly "uh ok um I have a problem, that's probably about to be your problem…. Uh, can I come in?" Buffy nodded "Oh, right, yeah, come in" He looked out into the darkness as Buffy began to shut the door. "Hey Buffy" A girls voice said, making Buffy open the door again. "Layla?" She asked. "Hey funny story, I'm not dead, but I need…." Angel cut her off "Layla" he warned coming into view. She looked at him shocked "man you move fast" she complained but grinned as she said it. "This is going to be fun" she said and switched to her vampire face. "This is defiantly going to be fun." She laughed as she disappeared into the darkness. "Um yeah that was the problem I came to warn you about." Angel said as buffy shut the door. "By the way…. Layla's a vampire" Buffy nodded "I saw"

"How did you know?" Buffy asked confused "what happened, how is it possible, how did this happen" Angel looked down at the floor "I panicked" he said guiltily. And that's when Buffy realized exactly what had gone on. "Oh"

…

Yep this is very short but what do you think. You couldn't have thought I would let Layla go that easily could you?... muh ha ha ha ha it seems there's going to be a second big bad…. Hmmmm I guess it runs in the family.


	19. Pesky little curse

**Pesky little curse**

"So uh let me get this straight, Layla's a vampire?" Xander asked. Angel simply nodded. Spike shook his head "it impossible you _killed_ her, she was _dead, it's not possible"_ he refused to believe they might have to kill her. "Close to, so close, couldn't even hear her heart beat it was so faint" Angel replied. "You know what we're going to have to do." Buffy said. Angel and Spike both stood up "NO!" Buffy sighed "we have to kill her" Spike shook his head "no, we have to do something else, curse her, give her back her soul, do something else" he said panicked. Buffy turned to Willow "could we do that, curse her?" Willow shook her head "it's not that simple" Spike interrupted "well make it that simple" Willow bit her lip "the thing is, it's _Angel's_ curse, otherwise I would have probably used it on other vampires, it doesn't work on anyone else" but Spike wasn't letting it go "well try, you have to try" Angel just stood there avoiding eye contact. "It won't work Spike, I'm sorry" Buffy said sadly.

"She's not invited in yet so we should be safe for now, just don't let her in" Buffy said "don't let who in" Dawn asked coming in. "Layla" Buffy replied. Dawn frowned "I thought she was dead?" Xander nodded "yeah Angel turned her into a vampire and now she wants to kill us all" Dawn nodded "oh… I just ordered pizza is that all right"

Three days had gone by and there was still no sign of Layla. "I'm getting worried she should have made her move by now" Buffy said frowning. "Well maybe she's letting us let our guard down" Dawn suggested. "Spike you know Layla, what would she be doing" Xander asked "I know_ Layla, _not vampire Layla" Spike said annoyed. "Will she be living at the mansion?" Buffy asked. Angel shook his head "she never cared were she lived, she's smart, she'll probably lay low, not draw attention to herself, then have finished whatever she's doing before you even know where she is, well that's Layla not sure about her as a vampire." Willow sighed "Then we better find her quickly, I could do a locator spell" she said. "No need I'm right here" Laylas voice came from outside. "Hey, ya miss me" Xander shook his head "can't say I did" Layla smirked "now is that a way to treat an old friend, then again you never liked me, which actually makes me kind of mad" Buffy stopped Xander replying by saying "you can't get in here, you can't hurt us" Layla punched the window making glass fly everywhere "aw shame didn't hit anyone. Sorry about that I'm just _really_ bored at the moment. I have this whole evil scheme and no one to share it with. Not that I'm going to tell you because you'll try to stop me, and I'm not stupid, which is bad for you" Buffy sighed annoyed "what are you doing here" Layla shrugged "like I said I was bored, see ya around" she said turning and walking a few steps before turning around "oh and watch your back, because if you don't I'll be there, probably to snap your neck"

"Well that was odd, she must be really bored" Xander said frowning. "Or listening in to our conversations" Angel suggested. "I really don't like her evil" Buffy said. "I'm guessing she wasn't exactly at her worst" Spike stated not allowing any emotion show in his voice. "Guys we are going to have to kill her" Willow said sadly "and better sooner than later." Spike shook his head "we could at least try the curse" Buffy shook her head "it's not going to work so what's the point" Spike shrugged "we have to at least try something else, we can't just kill her!" He said frustrated. "She's evil, probably going to try to destroy the world, so she's dead, were going to kill her and there's nothing you can do about it" Xander said angrily. Willow looked lost in thought not really hearing the argument going one around her "hold on"

"What?" Buffy asked a little confused but also sort of happy there might be another way. "Let's think about this" Willow said frowning not relay looking at anyone and staring into space. "Ok how do you get turned into a vampire?" she already knew the answer but she asked anyway. "They drink your blood, you drink there blood, you turn into a vampire" Buffy replied looking at her friend who was staring out of the shattered window. "Right" Willow said pointing to her and finally drawing her attention back inside the room. "So it's this whole thing with blood, let's get this straight Layla and Angel are brother and sister?" Angel simply nodded confused at where she was getting with this. "So blood related" Everyone frowned. "I'm not going to mention the fact Angel got addicted to her blood" Spike said. "Too late" Angel glared at him. "Oh well still true" Spike grinned. "No it's not" Angel said annoyed. "Yes it is" Buffy sighed frustrated "no it's not" Willow didn't stop herself rolling her eyes "yes it…" Spike got cut off by buffy "you two, shut up, ok so Willow where are you getting with this" Everyone turned to Willow. "So if Layla and Angel share this blood link thing, Angels curse _might _work on her"

"It's worth a try" Buffy said. Willow nodded "also I could look at the curse, change it a bit, give it a better chance of working" Buffy nodded. "Wait" Xander said. "Are we sure we want to give her back her soul" Everyone looked at him frowning. "Well I mean come on we already have two vampires on our side we don't need a third and wouldn't it just be easier to kill her" Spike looked at him angrily "not an option"

Another day went by. Willow was busy looking at the curse to see if it could be used on Angel. "Ok we need to find out what she's planning before it's too late" Buffy said. "So were going patrolling tonight?" Xander asked. Buffy looked outside "no were going patrolling now, it's dark already"

"Oh well that's never good" Layla said as she saw them coming "for you not me." She said smirking. "Yeah if you say so. Although there's four of us and only one of you" Xander said annoyed at her tone. "Hmm yeah only four where's the little witch" Buffy sighed. "It doesn't matter just tell us what the hell you're doing" She answered before Xander could say anything else. "Oh you want to know what I'm doing, too bad, I'm not my brother" She replied. "That's annoying" Buffy shot Xander a look which he ignored and then continued "I was hoping you would just say it so we wouldn't have to waste any energy beating you. Which we will you know because I don't think you're going to be any good at this being evil thing, 'cause your really not good at much" She glared at him the joking tone out her voice. "You know I've learnt a lot after becoming a vampire one of them is that it's best not to make me mad"

Buffy ran in front of Xander to stop Layla killing him, but Layla simply pushed her out of the way sending her flying over the other side of the grave yard. "Bloody hell" Spike exclaimed. "That's not vampire strength that's like….. Glory strength." Layla smirked. "Yeah where's that hammer when you need it" Xander lost his attitude and just stared at her "how'd you know about that" she shrugged. "I'm Layla I know things" Buffy had gotten up and made her way back. "Okay how did you do that?" Layla grinned. "He made me mad"

…..

So so so sorry it was so long coming. I've had writers block and to be honest I kind of forgot where it was going but I've remembered again and here it is.


	20. Question time

**Question time**

"Ok no fighting where just here to talk" Buffy said to avoid a fight with Layla who somehow had found a way to be super strong. "Well you talk I'll listen then probably laugh and kill you all" Xander had lost all the words he had to say to her. "Right how did you get super strong, did you use magic?" Buffy asked backing away slowly confused and, although she would never show it, a little afraid. Layla shrugged "no clue and no magic, and only when I'm mad." Buffy let out a sigh of relief that Layla had calmed down by now, unfortunately this fact made Xander stop being so worried. "So how's this whole evil thing coming along really I'm noticing no difference" Buffy glared at him but Layla just smirked. "You are really annoying, has anyone ever told you. I'm beginning to wonder why every time a new evil comes along Buffy doesn't just send you to bore them to death" Xander looked at her angrily.

"So…" Layla cut her off. "No my turn to ask a question" Buffy nodded. "Right so did you find a way to give me back my soul" She asked. "So you were listening in on us that night" Angel said. "No we didn't, turns out were just going to have to kill you" Buffy lied. Layla frowned "you're lying." Buffy kept her face emotionless. "Am I?" Layla looked at her more carefully before turning her attention away. "Your turn" she stated. "What are you planning on doing?" Buffy asked. Layla smiled and shook her head "ask a different question" Buffy bit her lip. "I like that one" Layla closed her eyes for a second. "Not going to destroy the world, that's all you get" everyone looked at her confused. "You're not planning on destroying the world?" Buffy asked. "That's another question it's my turn" Layla stated. Buffy nodded. "So where's the witch" Buffy smiled "at home, my turn" Layla smirked "good one" Buffy stepped forward. "What is your evil scheme?" Layla sighed in frustration. "I'm bringing back the hell mouth"

Everyone looked at her confused. "Give me the real answer" Buffy said. Layla smirked. "You don't know" Buffy frowned. "In the battle against the first you destroyed the hell mouths power. That's why there haven't been any demons around lately. No power drawing them here; I bring back the power and all the demons that come with it. One of them will end the world for me" Buffy stared at her open mouthed. "So you're planning on making everything back to the way it used to be, hell mouth, demons, death, and big bads?" Layla simply smiled. "My turn to ask a question" Buffy sighed. "What is the witch doing?" she asked suspicious. "Breathing, living…." Layla cut her off "a proper answer" Buffy sighed. "She's at home practicing spells" Buffy said. "You're lying to me _again_" Layla said angrily "tell me the truth." Buffy shrugged "I'm bored of this game" she turned to leave. "You know I've been nothing but honest with you and your going to lie to me _twice_ then leave. Are you _trying_ to make me mad" Buffy stopped in her tracks and turned back to face Layla who had her arm around Xander's neck. "I give it two seconds tops before I break his neck if you try to move" Layla said glaring at her.

"So I'll ask again, what is Willow doing and does it have something to do with giving me back my soul" Layla asked tightening her grip on Xander making him struggle for breath. "Layla stop it" Spike said. "I want an answer" She stated. "Layla just let him go" Angel said. "Tell me the truth and I'll let him go" Layla said looking directly at Buffy. "Or you could just leave and let him die" Buffy shook her head "let him go and I'll tell you" Buffy reasoned. Layla shook her head "no tell me _then_ I'll let him go." In all this talking Xander had pulled out the stake in his pocket. Layla snatched it out of his hand "no you don't" she used her free hand and checked it directly at Angels heart; he caught it without even looking down. "Nice catch" Layla stated "so Buffy, we have a deal"

"Yeah. Willow thinks because you and Angel are blood related his curse might work on you" Layla sighed in frustration "what's Willow doing now" she asked. "She's changing the curse slightly so it has more of a chance of working on you" Buffy replied "now let him go." Layla smirked "I said I would, didn't I" he said throwing his on the floor "see the difference between you and me, Buffy, is I don't lie….. and I'm evil" Layla said as she disappeared into the shadows.

"You all right" Buffy asked helping Xander up. "You know when I said we shouldn't restore her soul because it would just be easier to kill her" Buffy nodded "I think I was wrong." Buffy sighed "we better get home, see how Willows doing with the spell, check Layla doesn't show up to try to stop her doing the spell…. Or kidnap her" Spike sighed. "She's not Layla anymore" Buffy looked at him "really, I never noticed" She replied sarcastically.

They returned home "how you doing Will" Buffy asked "did Layla show up?" Willow frowned "why would Layla show up, she doesn't know what we're trying to do" Buffy sighed "here's the thing we kind of told her we were working on cursing her with Angel's curse and that you were figuring out how to make sure it worked" Willow frowned "why?" Angel sighed "she was going to kill Xander, that girl moves quick" Willow looked over to Xander. "Oh" Buffy nodded "yeah also somehow she has super strength when she gets mad" Buffy said. Spike joined in "Not vampire strength like Glory strength" Willow frowned. "Any ideas" Buffy asked. "might be the fact she was sired by her brother, or most probably the fact she was more than human before she was a vampire, immortal and all that" Buffy nodded. "So now she is hell god strong when she's angry, fine threatening to kill us, knows what we're trying to do, and bringing back the hell mouth... We have a problem" Everyone agreed. "Bringing back the hell mouth?" Willow asked "I'll explain later" Xander replied. "We'd better restore her soul quickly or else we have to try and kill her without making her angry, either that or we need that hammer, a bulldozer and another buffy bot if it's going to be like fighting Glory all over again"

…

Please review that's all I have to say.


	21. Star gazing

**Star gazing**

"Willow how's it coming?" Buffy asked. "I'm not sure I've been researching the curse and I think just being blood related won't be enough" Buffy frowned "but you've been tinkering with it, so it will work right?" Willow bit her lip. "It will work better, but it's the same as it was with Angel you're going to have to make her feel something, but not just an emotion, I think you're going to have to try to make her feel like herself, like she was before being a vampire" Xander frowned. "Ok I'm going back to the whole let's kill her idea because were never going to be able to do that" Buffy sighed "well do you have a Buffy bot on you then" Xander shrugged "just don't give her time to get angry, sneak up behind her, stake in the heart, and tada, dead vampire, no hell mouth." Spike frowned "but we don't have to kill her, we can just give her back her soul, and she'll be the same old Layla again" he didn't want to have to kill her, especially when there was a way to give her back her soul. "I liked Layla" Buffy stated. "And I didn't, what's your point, killing her will be easier so let's do that" Xander replied. "I'm not sure it will, if she does get angry were sotta dead, and I think I'll probably stay dead this time" Spike nodded agreeing with whatever meant Layla could stay alive. "Ok so when were ready we'll need someone to go and make Layla feel like Layla again" Buffy said. "I'll go" Spike replied instantly. "I think Angel might be better being her brother and all" Angel avoided any eye contact as her replied. "No Spike, always knew her better than me" Buffy frowned, Layla was angel's sister yet spike knew her better? "Right ok then Spike will go when Willows ready, now I'm going to try to find out more things from Layla" she said looking outside at the night sky "like when she's going to make all our lives miserable"

"Nice isn't it, the night sky, so many little shining spots of light" Layla said hearing Buffy approach. She was gazing up at the stars. "Yeah I guess" Buffy replied a little confused. "So I was wondering when you were bringing back the hell mouth" Layla smirked as she looked at Buffy. "Well that's very to the point" Buffy shrugged "I didn't come here to chat, I want answers" Layla sighed and looked back up at the night sky "I don't want questions." Buffy frowned "why are you so interested in the night sky?" Layla laughed slightly "can't go out during the day, need something to be fascinated by, can't be the sun, that leaves the stars" That just made Buffy more confused. "I still don't get why…" Layla cut her off "what, because I'm an evil, bloodsucking, monster who is wanting to help destroy the world it means I can't like a part of it" Buffy nodded "yeah that's about it" Layla smiled. "Well you have it all wrong…. Hey I thought you weren't here to chat" Buffy nodded "oh yeah forgot about that, why are you destroying the world if you like it?" Layla shrugged "I'm not destroying it, I'm just letting others do it, and yes you might stop them, but one day, one will come along and you'll end up like every other slayer" Buffy frowned "and what's that?" Layla shrugged "dead and forgotten" she replied turning her attention to Buffy and away from all the stars. "Doesn't it bother you, you save the world, you save so many people and none of them even know you exist, it would bother me" Buffy sighed "I've never really thought about it" Layla smiled "you don't realize it do you, your trying to save a world you hate" Buffy frowned "what do you mean?" Layla shrugged. "you never used to, but you were in heaven Buffy, it changes how you view the earth, so much pain, so much anger, so much death. But you never used to love it either, you just didn't think people should die, you still don't, but you know, Buffy, it's so much easier to hate the world than love it, there are so many more things to hate it for" Buffy frowned "what are you doing" Layla smiled "answering your question as for when I'm bringing back the hell mouth, when the little sports of light a line, and the moon is full" With that she walked off "so that would be the next full moon" she called back to Buffy as she disappeared into the shadows.

"When is the next full moon?" Buffy asked as people came downstairs the next morning. "Um about a week" Willow replied "I think" Buffy sighed "that's when she is opening the hell mouth" Xander frowned "why can't we just kill her?" everyone ignored him. "So get her soul back to her before then and were all good" Spike said. "What else did you find out?" Angel asked. "Uh she likes stars" Buffy replied. Spike frowned "Stars?" Buffy shrugged, then he nodded realizing "she always used to be fascinated with the sun, now she can't go out in it, she likes the stars instead" Buffy smiled "maybe this will be easier than we thought, she seems to be a little bit like she used to be already, maybe it's because she was Human for a long time not all of it has gone" Spike nodded "that could probably make it easier" Xander frowned. "Why don't we just kill her?" which got him glares from everyone in the room. "I'm just suggesting it's probably easier" Buffy sighed "if we snuck up on her, which we can't, because she's a vampire, and has super hearing" She said. "Plus you all love her so much" he muttered annoyed under his breath so no one would hear, except Angel and Spike who both glared at him, and Spike once again fought the urge to hit him.

….

So there's the next chapter. Please review.


	22. The bracelet

**The bracelet**

"So, Will, how long 'til that curse is ready" Buffy asked. "I'm not sure it's ever going to be ready, but if I get it right I'm guessing a few weeks" Buffy sighed "we don't have that long." Willow looked up "I'm working as fast as I can" Buffy nodded "I know" Willow looked back down at the curse "I know for a fact I can't do it before she tries to bring back the hell mouth. We might be able to do it as she starts but even then might be too soon"

"You going on patrol tonight?" Spike asked as he walked into the room. "I don't think so, hell mouth isn't back yet so not many demons, the only person I would run into is Layla and I don't really want to do that" Spike sighed. "So you found out everything you need to know then" Buffy laughed "no, but unless she's going to tell me how to stop her I'm not sure there's much point in asking" Spike smiled slightly. "But I don't know there's always something, vampires are still around." She sighed "maybe I'll go after all, maybe I can get something out of Layla" She said. "I'll go to" Spike said. Buffy smiled slightly. "Ok if you want to"

Buffy sat on a grave stone, waiting, she wasn't sure what she was waiting for but it would probably come. "So do you think she's gonna show" Spike asked. Buffy shrugged. "I would say she would" Layla said "though wasn't sure you to would, Buffy hell mouth isn't here yet you don't have to come _every_ night" Buffy got up "well what are you doing here, don't you have any scheming to do?" Layla smiled "What do you think I'm here for" Buffy frowned. "The stars" Spike said. Layla smiled "Little shining lights a million miles away, yeah I'm an evil vampire set on destroying the world who likes star gazing….. You have a problem with that" Buffy smiled "no?" Layla laughed slightly. "So why are you here?" Layla asked more seriously "seeing if any vampires would rise, and wondering if you would accidently tell me how to stop you." Layla shrugged "no, sorry" Buffy sighed "what about how your actually going to open the hell mouth" Layla shrugged "magic obviously" Buffy frowned "yeah but do you have a ritual or something" Layla glared at her "your trying to figure out how long it'll take me" Buffy nodded. "See how long we have to give you back your soul" She replied. "You know, super strong when I'm angry" Layla reminded her. "Yeah I know, still could beat you though" Buffy said smirking. Laylas fist connected with Buffy's face "you still don't seem to be very angry" Layla shrugged "believe me I'm trying, I'm just in a very good mood today" Buffy frowned "why?" Layla smiled "I figured out me bringing back the hell mouth was actually going to work"

"What are you doing up so late?" Angel asked Xander. "Thinking" Angel frowned "since when do you think?" Xander just ignored his comment. "What are you thinking about?" Xander shrugged "you and Buffy" Angel sat down next to him "well at least your honest, me and Buffy aren't…" Xander interrupted "yeah I know you're not back together or anything but she wants you to be" Angel frowned "when this whole Layla thing is over I'm going to leave again" Xander nodded "let's get this straight, I don't much like you, I don't much like you and Buffy together, but in the end somehow you seem right together" Angel got even more confused "are you drunk?" Xander smiled slightly and shook his head. "She loved you, she still does, and she couldn't kill you when you went all evil _again, _that has to tell you something_" _Angel nodded "that I should probably leave before everything goes wrong" Xander shrugged. "I agree with you when you say Buffy deserves someone better, but somehow I'm not sure she's ever going to fall in love with anyone like that" Angel frowned "how do you mean?" Xander sighed "ok so the last guy Buffy was with was _Spike_ who did love her I guess but I hate him more than I hate you of course there was Riley but he left in a helicopter and she never quite loved him anyway, I think she wanted to but still, that leaves you somehow being better for her" Angel shrugged and got up "still think she could find someone better" As he left the room Xander asked "are you at least going to say goodbye this time?" Angel shrugged "I'm not sure I can"

"So it might not have worked?" Buffy asked. "Well it probably would have but now I'm sure it will" Layla said smirking. "I'm going to go now, it's all clouded over so the stars are all gone" Buffy frowned as she watched Layla leave "I'm seriously hoping Willow is right about this curse" She said. "And that a part of Layla is still in there" she said walking away. Spike walked over to a gravestone and picked up a bracelet. "Part of Laylas still in there" he muttered "defiantly in there if she's still wearing this" He said and followed Buffy. The bracelet, that had come off Layla's wrist when she had hit Buffy, in his pocket.

…

So as always please review they make me happy.


	23. Ready, set, go

**Ready, set, go**

"So she tell you anything else" Xander asked the next morning. Buffy shrugged "not much only that she's pretty sure it'll work and it's going to involve magic." She replied. "I don't get it" Willow said. "Why does she keep showing up?" Buffy frowned "to see the stars" Xander looked at her confused. "ok weird big bad, but why would she go to the graveyard to do it" Buffy shrugged "don't ask me" Spike stood in the corner of the room fiddling with the bracelet not talking until he said "she wants us to stop her" Everyone turned to him looking even more confused "she doesn't know it, she doesn't want it, but your right a part of Layla is still in there, she was human to long for it all to just fade away" Xander frowned "but she doesn't care anymore, lost her soul remember" Spike shrugged "she still remembers everything, more than two hundred years of it, of feeling it all, it's going to have some sort of impact" Buffy nodded "but how much?" Spike sighed "enough for the curse to work"

"What is that?" Buffy asked Spike as he slipped the bracelet into his pocket when she spoke. "Nothing" Buffy frowned "just something of Laylas, she's had it for a long time" Buffy nodded "should help if she's going to have to feel like she used to" She replied. "So is the curse going to be ready in time?" Spike asked. "Willow can't tell, were going to have to cut it close, Willows still working on a couple of new translations, She's also tried to cut out the whole moment of happiness so we won't have to worry about her turning evil again" Spike nodded "so were going to do it when she's opening the hell mouth?" Buffy shook her head "hopefully we'll do it in the day so she'll already have the soul when everything is a lined and there's a full moon"

"not got long left, Will" Buffy said "two days." Willow nodded "right I need to get supplies" she said grabbing her jacket Buffy smiled "so the curse is ready?" Willow nodded "as ready as it'll ever be" she said as she walked out of the door, "I'm going to check out the new magic shop see if they have what I need" Buffy closed the door as she left. "It's going to work?" Spike asked. Buffy nodded "it's going to work" she tried to sound sure but it didn't work that well.

"Got everything?" Buffy asked as Willow returned home. She nodded "we are going to do this; I just need one day to check I haven't missed anything, and then I'm all set" Buffy nodded "you have tomorrow to check everything through, then we have to be ready to do it"

"ok todays the day, Willow spent all of yesterday checking it all over, if it's ever going to work it'll work, Will just needs to do the curse and if she's right and the spell will just hang around until it's ready to work, Spike just has to get her feeling like Layla before nightfall" Willow walked into the room a worried look on her face "I've spotted a flaw in this plan" Buffy frowned "the orbs gone missing, can't do the spell" Buffy was confused "what! But Layla can't get in" Angel nodded "no, but a human could and something tells me Layla could be pretty convincing" Buffy bit her lip "go get another" Willow shook her head "The magic box really doesn't last long, everything is sotta smashed, I'm guessing it was Layla again" Xander being Xander said "you know I think we'd better re-think this whole she wants us to stop her thing."

Buffy looked out the window seeing the sun slowly fade away, "we need to find out where she is, then kill her without making her angry…. Somehow" Xander said. "Not exactly sure that's possible but were going to have to stop her somehow" Buffy agreed. "If we just had another orb we'd be fine, maybe a little later than we'd hoped but we should still be able to stop her in time" Willow said frustrated. "Yeah well we don't" Xander said. The ring of the doorbell rang through the house. Everyone looked up from collecting weapons. Buffy opened the door slowly.

"So I thought you might be wanting this back" Layla said holding up an orb. "You'd be right there" Buffy said "but I know you'd never give it to us." Layla smiled "you don't know me to well then." Buffy frowned "why would you give it to us?" she asked confused. "Oh well, you know, two rituals to complete, both kind of boring, I'm after a bit of fun, let's make it a race. Who can finish first, you gonna give me my soul back in time or you gonna be too late?" Layla held it up. "So what you say" Buffy nodded frowning. "Well. Ready. Set." Layla smirked and tossed it to Buffy "GO" And with that she disappeared into the night to start her own ritual.

"Everyone put the weapons down" Buffy said entering the room "Willow go start the spell" She said throwing the orb to her. "Where'd you get that?" Xander asked. "explain later, Spike go see if you can catch up to Layla, follow her sent or whatever, we'll come find you when Willows finished" Spike nodded and was quickly out the door. "How we going to find them?" Xander asked. Buffy rolled her eyes. "There does happen to be another vampire in this room" Xander glanced at Angel "oh yeah" Buffy turned to Willow "you gotta work fast, go set up" Willow nodded "right" she said grabbing the curse from the table "Xander you need to come help" she said. Xander sighed and followed her. "Why can't we just kill her?" he asked again. "Xander" Buffy said. "Shut up"

….

So the race is on…. Wonder what's going to happen. Please review.


	24. Memories

**Memories **

"Hmm nice place, very you" Spike said looking around. Black walls black carpet, a rather big wardrobe…. Well three, and a bed in the far corner. "Why are there mirrors covering that wall?" he asked "you can't see yourself." Layla looked up at him "makes the room look bigger having everything black means it seems smaller" Spike nodded "ok then. Good to know" Layla frowned "what are you doing here, distracting me or fighting me?" Spike shrugged "neither slight problem with our curse means you have to feel like you used to before going all vampire-y and grrr" Layla laughed "well that'll never happen" Spike reached into his pocket and pulled out the bracelet "really?"

Layla looked at the bracelet for a second and turned away. "After all these years and your still wearing it" Spike said. "I...I… It's pretty that's all, means nothing" She said striking a match and lighting a few candles. "Well do you want it back?" Spike asked. "I don't care" Layla lied. Spike smirked "you know I've known you for a while, even now your evil I can still tell when you're not telling the truth." Layla just shrugged. "It was a while ago" Spike said. Layla smiled a little bit although she tried not to "I remember"

Flashback

Layla sat on the bed lost in thought she didn't notice Spike standing in the doorway. "Layla" She looked up quickly "oh, hello" She said with a small smile. Spike came over and sat next to her. "What are you thinking about?" He asked. "Life. We're going to live forever and I'm not sure why, I don't think there is a reason. Then I started thinking about what to do with life, there are so many things to do, and I don't think I will ever do any of them" Spike smirked "you are thinking too much" Layla laughed "well what else can I do" Spike pulled a box out of his pocket "I got you something." He said handing it to her. She opened it slowly revealing a silver bracelet. "It's beautiful" Spike smiled "happy birthday Layla" Layla grinned "you remembered" Spike nodded "I guess your brother didn't?" Layla shrugged "he remembered he doesn't care though" She said putting the bracelet on "thank you" Layla said with a smile. "Didn't even kill anyone to get it" He said. "of course I burned down the store but I don't think anyone died"

End flashback 

"Here" Spike said tossing it to her. "Layla if your still wearing that I know there still a part of you in there" Layla shrugged "maybe there is, doesn't mean I'm ever going to feel it, this is me now no turning back" Spike shook his head "this isn't completely you, just like when I didn't have a soul it wasn't completely me, isn't that what you always used to say. A soul makes the person who they are, it's always going to be who they are, you always have a part of yourself, even when it's just in a memory"

Flashback

Layla wiped away a tear, put on a brave face, failed, and decided to try to get some sleep, she failed that to. "Layla?" Spike a said slipping in the room. "You alright?" he asked. "No, not really, then again I never am. I can hear them, every scream, I know I couldn't stop it but doesn't make it any better" Spike sighed "I could change that, turn you into a vampire, you'd be stronger, and it would all go away, take away the pain…" Layla cut in "take away my soul" He shrugged "I don't get what's so bad about that." Layla sighed "a soul make a person who they are, it's always going to be who they are" Spike frowned "then who am I?" he asked. "You always have a part of yourself, even when it's just in a memory but your never completely you any more, I'd be different" Spike smirked "no pain, no regret, no guilt, you'll be better" Layla shook her head "I kind of like who I am now, even if it's an immortal girl traveling with vampires feeling bad for all the killing they do, I sort of like being me don't want to be anyone else" Spike sighed "well tell me if you change your mind" Layla smirked "besides drinking blood…. I'd rather not" Spike laughed "not as bad as you'd think"

End flashback 

"You know I think you were right" Spike said "I do prefer you with a soul" Layla shook her head "no this is way better" Layla said grinning "yeah I'm sure it is, alone, in darkness, trying to destroy the world without actually destroying it, I'm sure it's great" Layla frowned. "I don't get it" Spike said. "When you were human you used to hate being alone" Layla shrugged "not human anymore" Spike shook his head "That's true. Still normally when people turn into a vampire they become happier, feel better, you just got more lost, how was it you used to put it….. Falling further into darkness?"

Flashback

"I don't understand Layla. What is wrong with you these days, your starting to convince _me_ to kill you" Spike said frustrated. "I just wanted to help someone, they don't deserve to die, they did nothing wrong," Layla said angry. "We don't care, were vampires Layla!" Spike replied getting louder "well I'm not!" she shouted. Spike shook his head "and whose faults that?" Layla sighed. "I can't do this anymore" Layla said "it's too much, the only person I can talk to is a blood sucking vampire who doesn't care about who he kills, my brother is even worse, and every single I try to do something to help someone I end up almost being killed, and death is starting to sound like the better option" Layla said crying "I don't get it, how did I end up this way, falling further into darkness with nothing to hold onto, no one to help me, because no one I know notices, let alone wants to help" Layla turned away "I can't do it anymore, I can look at the sun and all I see is black" Spike put his hand on her shoulder "Layla" She shook her head "I can't do it anymore, I don't want this" Spike sighed "then let me turn you" he suggested. "No, I'm not becoming a vampire, I'm not going to help you, if I can't stop you, I'm not going to help" She said. Spike put on his game face "sometimes you don't have a choice" Laylas immediate reaction was to punch him in the face "keep the hell away from me or I _will_ shove a stake through your heart"

End flashback

"You know that punch actually hurt. You used to be so against become a vampire, losing your soul, now you're so against getting it back" Layla no longer looked at him busy with the ritual "yeah well it's better this way" Spike frowned "is it?" he asked "look around Layla, I know human you wouldn't have wanted this, and I'm pretty sure you don't either, you have no one left to talk to, you don't want to destroy the world or you would it yourself, you want us to stop you or you wouldn't have given back that orb, I know a part of you wants that soul back. You don't want this, don't want to keep pretending, that was what it was all about last time, you couldn't keep pretending you were fine with it, you're not fine with this" Buffy, Willow, Angel and Xander silently entered the room, Spike knew the spell had been cast. "Are you Layla?" Layla turned around "I can't do it anymore" she repeated her words from long ago. "I can't do it anymore"

….

So what do you think, please please please review.


	25. Just in time, or a little late?

**Just in time, or a little late?**

Spike smiled. Laylas eyes flashed as Willows spell kicked in. "What's going on, why are you all looking at me like that?" Layla asked confused. "Layla?" Angel asked. She looked over at him confused, before her face lit up and she flung her arms around his neck, and for once Angel actually smiled, and then hugged her back. Xander looked at them frowning, then said sarcastically, "What's up with those two, they're acting like they haven't seen each other in…"Buffy finished his sentence more seriously "…over two hundred years, when they both had a soul anyway," Willow looked over at the brother and sister, all she could come up with was "oh."

"What's happening? Why don't I remember?" Layla whispered to her brother. "Hang on you'll remember in a minute, I speak from experience" He replied. As he said that the memories started coming back in pieces. "Oh no" she said breaking away from her brother and stepping back. "Layla don't worry it's all alright now, your back to being you and…" Layla cut Angel off, "I killed people, _killed_….._people_" She said shocked. "Layla" Spike said "It wasn't you, not completely." Layla shook her head "Still feels like it"

"Hell mouth" Layla said suddenly. "Nope you got back your soul, no more hell mouth-y power" Buffy said. Layla frowned concentrating on the memories. "No" she said in disbelief. "We got here just in time" Willow said confused. Layla shook her head "no you got here a little late." Everybody mimicked the same expression: disbelief, anger, shock, annoyance, they all turned and looked over to where the ritual had been done. A flash of white light filled the room and a small explosion forced them all backwards. "We should probably get out of here" Buffy suggested. "I'm going to agree with you" Xander said heading for the door. The rest of them followed him out. Angel looked back to his sister "Layla we need to go" Layla looked back at him "If I could just get close enough to stop it" Angel shook his head, grabbed her arm and dragged her outside "not an option, I only just got you back, I'm not losing my sister again." As they made it out there was a loud bang as the house blew up. "There's a possibility I did it a little wrong" Layla said smirking slightly. "Wrong enough for it not to have worked?" Buffy said hopefully. Layla shook her head sadly "not a chance"

They all returned home. "I told you we should have just killed her" Xander said annoyed. "Xander shut up" Spike said annoyed. "We lived on a hell mouth for years, we'll make it through this, all the big bads, all the demons, and we'll stop it" Buffy said determined. Willow nodded "we'll have to. We did it before, we can do it again" Xander sighed frustrated "I hope so. Don't know about you but I'm tired and going to bed." Everyone agreed with him and headed out the room.

"Uh, Spike" Angel said awkwardly when everyone else had gone and Spike was just beginning to leave the room. Spike frowned and turned to him "What?" he asked confused. "Thanks, for getting Layla back" Spike shrugged "yeah, whatever, I like that girl, didn't do it for you." Angel nodded "I know, but, thanks" He said leaving the room. "Huh" spike said frowning "never thought I'd hear that" He said following him out.

Hardly anyone was up yet, it wasn't that early but it wasn't that late either. The only two people that where up were angel and Layla. "So are you feeling alright?" Angel asked. "Yeah, mostly, I'm ok…. Nope" She replied with a sigh. "Does it ever go away?" She asked. "What?" Angel replied confused. "This feeling, not sure what it is, guilt, sadness, anger, whatever it is, it hurts, does it ever go away?" She said sadly. Angel looked at her in a way only a brother could look at his sister "no" he said sadly "it never goes away." Layla sighed. "You'll get used to it, but it will never go away," Layla nodded. "I get it" There was silence for a while before Layla suddenly asked "do you miss being human?" Angel shrugged "I'm not sure, I don't remember it very well" Layla nodded "right of course" Angel sighed "do you?" Layla bit her lip then a tear ran down her check as she nodded. "I'm sorry" Angel said "really sorry, I shouldn't have…." Layla held up her hand to stop him talking "not your fault"

"So what happens now?" Layla asked. "Well I'm leaving, do you want to come?" Her brother replied. Layla frowned "why?" Angel shrugged "it's hard to be around her, Buffy. I just can't do it, without being with her" Layla smiled "So don't. Be with her." Angel shook his head. Layla sighed. "I can tell you want to be with her, I can tell she wants to be with you, so what's the problem." Angel closed his eyes for a second. "I won't do that to her, she deserves someone better. I mean what future could she have with me," He said with a sigh. "She's not thinking about that, she's thinking about you, only you. She doesn't care…." Angel cut in "but I do, I care about her, I'm not going let her throw away her life" he said angrily. "She's not throwing it away" Angel frowned "nothing can explain love, true love, she wouldn't be throwing it away, she'd be making it better, being she loves you and in the end that's all that matters." Angel shook his head "you and Buffy are meant to be, no one can explain how or why it's just the way love is" Angel sighed. "Just think about it" Layla said. "I have" Angel replied sadly.


	26. Girl talk

**Girl talk**

"Hey Layla" Willow said cheerily coming downstairs. Layla was writing in one of her notebooks. "You sound happy" Layla said looking up. Willow smiled "yep" she said sitting next to Layla. "Any reason why?" Layla asked. Willow shrugged "well ok so we're back to be living on a hell mouth. But in the end we're all aright, we're all here, no one's sad, so yeah why not be happy?" she said in her hyper Willow way. Layla sighed "Buffy's not gonna be too happy." Willow frowned "Why?" She asked. "Angel's leaving" Layla said turning her attention back to writing. Willow sighed frustrated "Why? They're so good together." Layla shrugged "Same reason as last time, he wants her to have a better future, thinks she deserves someone better, plus there's the sunlight issue" Willow shook her head annoyed as Layla finished "and oh yeah he's an idiot"

"You have to stop him" Willow said suddenly. "Already tried" Layla said shutting her notebook "he's not having any of it, I mean I can try again but…" Willow interrupted her "yes, try again." Layla frowned, "why do you care so much?" Willow sighed. "I'm just looking out for Buffy. Out of all her boyfriends he was the one she loved the most, if he's gone before anything has even started even I'm going to have a hard time comforting her"

"Thought you'd be packing or something" Layla said. Angel looked up "why do I get the feeling your angry?" Layla ignored him. "Then again you only wear, like, one outfit so I guess there's not much to pack. So when are you leaving?" He shrugged "Tonight. Why do I get the feeling your angry?" He asked again. Layla shrugged "because I am. Not strong enough to throw you through a wall because I'm sotta freaky angry but still angry." He just looked at her confused "Why?" he asked. "Because you're walking away and leaving the girl you love behind" He frowned "you talked to Buffy?" he guessed. "Willow" he nodded "oh, so you're here to stop me going, sorry never gonna happen" Layla glared at him "You know I'm getting to strong enough to throw you through a wall angry." Angel sighed "Layla if you were able to stop me going you would have already" Layla sighed and sat down "I sotta guessed that, but I had to try because when you get your heart broken from the same guy the second time it's just going to hurt twice as much" Angel sat next to her. "There's possibly not a girl in this world better than Buffy. It's going to hurt me more, trust me" Layla nodded "I believe you, which is why I think it's even more stupid you're just going to walk away. When are you gonna tell her you're going?" He shrugged "When I can, which is probably never so I'm not" Layla shook her head "leaving without a goodbye?" She said getting up, "you know if I see you in a hundred years I'm giving you a very disapproving glare" He sighed "what if we give it two hundred, we good then?" Layla shook her head "nope" She said starting to leave the room. "Three hundred?" he tried as she left. "Keep going" she replied with a laugh. "Four?"

Lighting flashed across the sky as the rain poured down. A clap of thunder came seconds later. "So who's gonna tell Buffy" Willow asked. Layla shrugged "not a clue, I would try to convince him to at least say goodbye but he's leaving tonight so there's no chance I have enough time, my brother is very stubborn." Willow nodded "I got that" She looked out the window "He's leaving in this?" Layla sighed "he's not really caring about the weather Willow" Angel came down stairs. "Willows gonna give you very disapproving glares too by the way" Layla said. Angel nodded "I guessed that" He said looking at Willow who avoided eye contact completely. "Well I hope you're happy because Buffy sure won't be" Willow said. He shook his head "no Willow I'm not happy the only time I was ever happy was with Buffy and that ended rather badly if you remember." Willow bit her lip. "Still very disapproving glares" Layla stated. Angel sighed "if it means anything I'm going to go say goodbye to Buffy" Layla smiled "well at least you're doing it right even if your decision is completely insane and I think you're an idiot" Willow nodded "I agree…. With the last part mostly"

"Uh Buffy" Angel said entering the kitchen. Buffy smiled "yeah?" Angel sighed and looked down at the floor "um, uh, um, I knew I wasn't going to be any good at this" Buffy frowned "what's wrong?" Angel looked back at up at her. "I'm leaving, I needed to say goodbye" Buffy's face fell "What! No! Why? I don't get it. What?" Angel closed his eyes for a second wishing he didn't have to see her like this. "Buffy I can't be here" Buffy struggled to keep tears in "why?" she asked. "It's too close to you" Buffy shook her head "we haven't even started anything, I know you have this big thing about my future but it's my life and I can decide what I want, and I want you, don't you love me anymore?" Angel sighed. "Buffy it's not that I don't love you, because I do and I'll never love anyone more, no matter how long I live, but there are better guys out there for you" Buffy shook her head "no, Angel, don't just go" Angel took a step back towards the back door "goodbye Buffy" and with that he had gone into the pouring rain.

Layla sighed as she saw Buffy. "So he didn't stay then?" she asked. Buffy shook her head "I don't get why I care so much, it's not as if we were even going out" Layla went and sat with her. "None of that matters, you feel something for him, and he feels something for you so really you two should be together. Unfortunately my brother has this thing where he uses logic which makes him sort of stupid" Buffy just sighed. "Buffy we need to have girl talk. He's already gone once; you know how it feels to lose him. I have a simple solution, don't let him go" Buffy frowned "what?" she asked. "Don't let him go. Run after him, go out in the pouring rain and show him you won't take no for an answer. Because if you don't you'll hurt and your friends will try to comfort you, and eventually the pain will go away but there's always going to be that nagging feeling in the back of your mind that you could have done something. If you let him go he'll always just be the one who got away, so don't let him, don't let him get away"

…..

As always please review


	27. Wont let it be goodbye

**Wont let it be goodbye**

It wasn't as if Angel could feel the cold. He also didn't notice the rain that was coming down, so hard (for anyone who wasn't a vampire) it was almost impossible to see anything. He didn't notice the flash of lighting that lit up the grey sky. Nor did he hear the thunder that came seconds later. He didn't notice the storm. He was just walking, wasn't sure where to. He was just getting away.

And with every step the next got a little easier. The further away he got the less it hurt. But in the end he was walking away from everything anyone would ever want. Walking away through the storm before he created one himself.

Xander's words running through his head _'I don't much like you, I don't much like you and Buffy together, but in the end somehow you seem right together' _and how Layla seemed to think staying was the better idea. _'I can tell you want to be with her, I can tell she wants to be with you, so what's the problem'_ '_I agree with you when you say Buffy deserves someone better, but somehow I'm not sure she's ever going to fall in love with anyone like that' 'she's thinking about you, only you.' _Even though everyone else thought he should stay, and his mind was screaming at him to go back he kept walking, just a shadow in the night, only lit up when lighting flashed across the sky.

She didn't care. Rain was pouring down, thunder echoed everywhere, it was freezing cold, and she didn't know where the hell she was going. But Buffy didn't stop, she couldn't, she wouldn't let him get away, not again. With only the light from the lighting guiding her she raced through the streets. The puddles she ran through making her wetter than she already was. She didn't care.

"Angel" She shouted seeing him. He paused for a moment but didn't turn around, he already wanted to go back to her, he couldn't speak to her. "Angel" She said, closer now. He turned around slowly. "Buffy, don't try to stop me, please, don't try to stop me" Buffy shook her head "I can't just let you get away." Angel sighed "Buffy, don't." He said. "Last time I stood there and watched you walk away" She couldn't tell if she was crying or if it was just the rain. "I'm not making the same mistake again" Angel sighed and asked "Was it a mistake? Its better this way" Buffy choked back tears. "Why? How could it be better" She screamed. Angel hated seeing her like this. "You can find a better guy Buffy." Now Buffy was sure she was crying. "You know it doesn't matter how many times you say that I'm never going to believe you" She said angrily. "You deserve more" He whispered. "No. I deserve what every girl does. A guy who loves them as much as they love him. And if you leave I'm never going to get that" Tears streamed down her check. "I'm sorry" He said turning away. "I won't let this be goodbye" She shouted after him.

"Sometimes there's nothing you can do" She whispered. He turned back to her frowning. "Nothing you can say to save you. This is one of those times, isn't it? Where I can't do anything. Because it's not fate that gets you places, it peoples choices" She sighed. "I guess it's your choice. But I'm always gonna remember the way it felt to be with you, remember every time you said I love you, every touch, every kiss… every second" Angel sighed, why did she make to make it so hard? "But I can't let it be goodbye. I will see you again" Angel knew he should turn around and leave but he just stood there rooted to the spot. "I love you" he didn't bother to stop the words coming out. "Are you just going to walk away?" She asked.

He didn't know. A few minutes ago he knew he should go, now he wasn't so sure. He didn't know. Could he just leave her standing there, watching him fade into the distance? He didn't know. He just didn't know. Everyone else seemed to think he should stay, but what future could she have with him? He knew leaving was the right thing to do, but could it still be the wrong choice?

He looked at buffy. He knew what she wanted. He knew what he wanted. He took a step closer to her. There were only inches between them. His lips crashed down on hers before either of them knew what was happening. Lightning lit up the two for a second before fading away. If anyone was watching all they would see were two silhouettes in the middle of the street kissing in the pouring rain.

As they broke apart Buffy whispered "are you just going to walk away?" Angel sighed "ask me tomorrow" Buffy looked confused "tomorrow"?" she asked. "Yeah" Angel said smiling "tomorrow, new day, new start" Buffy smiled "A new beginning"

…..

So please review. Sorry it's a little short


	28. Word travels quickly

**Word travels quickly**

Buffy's eyes flicked open and she remembered the events of last night. She made her way downstairs, very slowly. She hadn't got much sleep and ended up bumping into at least six things. Hardly anyone else was up. Just her, and Angel. "Angel" She said suddenly wide awake. He turned to face her "hey". The was a certain feel in the air today, for once he was sure of what he wanted, completely sure. "So are you leaving?" Buffy asked no knowing what to expect. He got up and walked towards her. "No, no I don't think I'm going to be going anywhere." Buffy grinned as he pulled her closer to her. Their lips met and suddenly the rest of the world seemed to fade away. Just like she remembered.

A very excited shout came from the door way. "EEEP, you're here and you, and I…..should probably leave." Willow had woken up. Buffy laughed "you go do that." Willow grinned one more time before quickly tuning around and practically running out the room. "Can't go in there" She said excitably when she met Layla in the hallway. "Why?" Layla asked suspiciously and very confused. "Buffy, Angel, kissing" Willow was very quick to reply. Layla smiled "well good." Xander came up behind them "what's good?" he asked. "Buffy and Angel" both girls replied at the same time. Xander laughed slightly "well I'm going to go before you start jumping up and down. You two are w_ay_ too happy about this." Spike appeared from nowhere "too happy about what?" He asked. "Buffy and Angel together again" Xander replied as he went back up stairs. Both the girls followed him up.

"Oh" Spike said with a sigh "of course, what else." He went into the living room and slumped into a chair, before getting back up and kicking the table sending pieces of wood flying everywhere. Buffy came into the room frowning "Spike?" He just shrugged. "What was that for?" She said annoyed. "Oh just go back to snogging him" He said angrily. "Oh" Buffy said realizing "Spike I…" He cut her off "don't, just don't" He said beginning to leave the room "if you don't mind I need to go punch things." Willow entered the room as Spike left. "Xander told him not me" She said quickly. Buffy shook her head "word travels way to quickly, I swear you must have told half the town by now"

"How long's he been down there" Willow asked. The constant sound of punching echoed around the house. "I don't know, thought he would be up by now." Buffy said with a sigh. "Oh for goodness sake" Layla said getting up and leaving the room. "Where's she going?" Willow asked confused. "To go beat Spike up" Angel replied simply. Everyone looked at him confused. "Oh they'll fight and everything will be fine. I'm not exactly sure how it works but it's been working for at least fifty years"

"Hey you need a fighting partner?" Layla asked. Spike glanced up at her "Not this time Layla, I don't think it'll work" Layla walked closer to him. "Oh come on." He rolled his eyes "no Layla." She smiled "come over here and fight like a man… or are you to afraid?" He smirked "oh your so gonna lose" Layla grinned. The first punch Layla expertly blocked but the second hit her in the face. "Hey I said fight like a man…. What part of don't hit girls don't you get" Spike laughed as Layla aimed a kick at his head.

Everyone heard the fighting downstairs. "You sure they're all right?" Willow asked. "They did this when she was human, they'll be fine" Angel told her. There was a loud crash as one of them got thrown into a wall. "Who do you think hit the wall?" Buffy asked. "Spike" Angel replied. "I'm pretty sure it was Layla" Xander said. "Oh your so gonna pay" Spikes voice echoed "you wish" Layla giggled. Angel smirked "told you." There was another loud crash. "What do you think that was?" Angel frowned thinking "bed thrown into a wall" Xander looked at him confused "how many times have you listened to this?" Angel smirked "rather often, you don't want to watch though because then the bad ends up hitting you instead of the wall." Buffy laughed at that.

"You two done?" Xander asked as Spike and Layla entered the room. "Yep" They both said grinning. Both of them were covered in scrapes and cuts that were already healing. "You two all right?" Buffy asked frowning. They both nodded "completely" they said together. "so uh who won" Willow asked. "Me" they both replied "you didn't" They told each other. "Yes I did, no I did, no you didn't." They both said at the same time. "They do this every time too" Angel interrupted. They both smiled.

"So that's it then" Buffy said as she watched the sun set. "What?" Angel asked. "Everything's fine. Spikes alright, Laylas alright, you're staying, and we'll beat all the bad guys who come." Angel nodded "yes everything's fine" Buffy smiled "and nothings gonna come between us" She said "nothing" Angel said moving closer. "Angel?" she asked. "Mmm" was his reply. "Kiss me"

…

Well I think that's probably the end, I do however have an idea for a sequel, so tell be what you think. As always please review.


	29. Authors note

So guys I have the first chapter of the sequel up, it's called the hardest thing in this world is to live in it 2, for lack of a better name. So please go check it out. That is all.


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